Anyone else into white tea?

I just picked up a couple packs of white tea. I'm trying 2011 Spring organic-certified Imperial White Peony right now for the first time.

Very light and fragrant, with a scent that ... hard to describe. I guess what first came to mind was a good prawn tempura. (Not the cheap & greasy kind, but good ones.)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_tea

I do and I enjoy it but I find it has a short shelf life compared to many of the teas I drink so I tend to treat 'em like fresh raspberries. Buy for immediate consumption in season but not something I buy in quantity or keep on hand throughout the year. I find the whole white buds/silver needle types give me the best shelf life and good cups.

I guess everything you drink is "white" tea?

Going to think about your description the next time I try the White Peony. I have enjoyed it mostly for the fragrance and lightness. I may have missed a dimension of the tea.

Cheers,
Steve
www.JAS-eTea.com

Doc4 said:

I just picked up a couple packs of white tea. I'm trying 2011 Spring organic-certified Imperial White Peony right now for the first time.

Very light and fragrant, with a scent that ... hard to describe. I guess what first came to mind was a good prawn tempura. (Not the cheap & greasy kind, but good ones.)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_tea

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I've had some that I liked - pretty sure it was peony. Of course, it came from World Market...

For me, there are only two to look at- Bai Mu Dan and Bai Hao Yin Zhen. The former is reasonably priced, and reminiscent of a decent Mao Feng green. The latter can be very interesting but pricey for what it delivers. Shou Mei sounds like something you'd order in a dim sum restaurant, and looks like a basket of potpourri on an old lady's toilet.

White tea suffers from the same problem as green tea- it doesn't stay fresh that long. If you can source some that's young and fresh, it's very nice, but pretty subtle and delicate.

More white tea today ... sure doesn't smell like Aunt Winnie's poo-poo-ree!

I'm definitely a fan. I like to add a pinch of peppermint or some other strongly flavored tea for just a touch of added goodness. Generally, I drink my tea hot, but a nice big pitcher of white tea with a good number of cucumber slices left to chill makes for a very refreshing beverage.

I have drunk quite a bit of the *gasp* bagged variety, and found it to be quite pleasant and delicate.

I love White Tea, my favorite is definetely White Peony. Hard to find a good source for quality organic fresh stock, and can be expensive, so I am going to explore the world of Sheng.

Ya Bao is another "White Tea" that I enjoy and is a predictible beverage that isn't as delicate as other white tea.

Ya Bao was a strange one, I had a little a few years and all I can remember was being confused by it. I think it was labelled as pu'er as opposed to white tea.

Whilst white tea deteriorates quickly once open, sealed packs last quite well. For me it's a struggle to drink 100g of white tea whilst it's still at its best, making it an ideal candidate for 25 gram or so packs.

I've had some very pleasant white teas from India too.

Tried a white peony variety and a couple others but thought it a little too light for my liking. I've come to enjoy the earthier, stronger ("grassy") greens, and whites don't seem to give me that.

KarlMaldensNose said:

Tried a white peony variety and a couple others but thought it a little too light for my liking. I've come to enjoy the earthier, stronger ("grassy") greens, and whites don't seem to give me that.

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Whites (and yellows) tend to be very light and subtle. I only reach for them when I want something delicate. Some of the greens can be great, but when I want "earthy and stronger", I look to oolong and pu'er.

It's a big world.

Quite so. I find myself enjoying everything from white tea to the search for the elusive "good shu".

Ah, the mythical shunicorn. Did I include any Menghai V93 shu in that box last year? It's one of the only ones I'd describe as anything near palatable.