My first reaction to this when I opened the pouch was “WOW! This smells like starburst!” Yes, the candy. It has a very sweet, fruity candy kind of smell to it. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, since I happen to like starburst, but, I was not sure how well that would translate into a tea.
Normally when I steep a white tea, I steep it low and slow … 160 to 170 degrees F and for four to five minutes. I tried this tea the other night using those parameters and I didn’t taste as much flavor as I had expected to, especially after the strong dry leaf fragrance that made me think I was in for a very strawberry-ish, Kiwi-esque tea. So, tonight I steeped it at 170 for six full minutes, and am much happier with the result.
I can taste the strawberry and the kiwi … and yes, it does taste sweet kind of like a starburst…. but I am actually liking it. I don’t taste much tequila until the end of the sip and into the aftertaste. The Bai Mu Dan is not a strong flavor either, but then again, it usually is a delicate flavor.
Overall, I’m happy with this tea.
