fbpx

What is White Tea?

White tea characteristically has a subtle, layered flavour. For this reason, I was a little defensive when I first heard about its use in flavoured blends – surely the tea’s own delicious taste would quickly be swamped by anything mixed in with it?

It turns out that I underestimated its underlying robustness, and the possibility of the tea’s subtler notes making themselves felt over a background of other flavours. At core, white tea – China Pai Mu Tan in particular – has a sweetness to it, and although it lacks most of the astringency of your average green tea, it has plenty of body as well. These characteristics make it an excellent base for a blended tea, so it’s no surprise that Camellia has several of these, each producing a very different overall effect.

White Harmony mixes the Pai Mu Tan (or ‘white peony’) with lavender, rose and chamomile. The distinctive evergreen aroma of lavender is complemented well by the sweetness of the white tea, and the chamomile – mellow and just slightly bitter – contributes to a full and interesting flavour. The rose adds a high, floral note, but it strikes me that despite its composition, the overall impression of this tea is not what I would call flowery – it’s surprisingly down-to-earth. Grounded.

Chamomile and lavender are both known for their relaxing qualities, but at the same time there’s something about the flavour of lavender that seems to focus the mind, and the same can be said about white tea. For me, that balance is what this tea’s about – shucking away the tensions of everyday life, and getting down to what’s really important.

COMMENTS

Leave a Reply