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Beautiful dry leaves with golden oxidized buds reminding me of Golden Curl tea from Yunnan. Rich amber-maple color moving to greenish-yellow near cups edge. Spices, with slight honey-sweet tang conjuring thoughts of cooked fruit followed by a woody, nutty astringent finish which really lingers in the wrong way I feel. I am not in love with this tea… and I really wanted to! I feel like its a little tired which will be ANOTHER sample from Adagio that is not quite that good. They really need to date those packs! I will get more next time I go, as I feel this isn’t the teas fault.

This is just not enjoyable tea.

Adagio says: “An exquisite version of the White Peony”… White Peony, at least the ones I have had, are beautiful teas. This tea seems to have aromas which remind you of being in the ape house at a zoo. Dry grassy wild-brush, mild floral notes, perspiring animal, white pepper and minerals dominate the flavor profile; the mouth-feel is quite off-putting. The tea was in a sealed pouch sample bag… so its probably not old, and I am very familiar with preparing white teas so its not over-extraction.
I am all for funky tasking unique teas… this isn’t that. This tea just isn’t very good. Disappointing… but its alright, I have been on a streak of good teas so I was bound to hit a bump! Not throwing it away, I will experiment with different infusions and update if I can make it acceptable… or give it to someone I don’t like very much!

A light, yet refined Fujian Oolong which displays perfume-like orchid aromas mixed with warm sugar cookies. The pale ivory color is so light that one might think it didn’t steep long enough… and because the tannins are forgiving you can steep longer than recommended without hurting it. Soft and supple mouth fell yielding to lovely palate which reintroduces the buttery sweet orchid notes with a mild nuttiness and subtle tastes of cooked vegetation. The tea finishes very smooth with a light acidic kiss that conjures up flavors of crushed limestone. I have had Ti Kuan Yin from a few tea merchants and this one is easily on par with the best. A great tea for relaxing or to have after dinner with a very light cookie. I will be getting more of this soon and would recommend it to anyone. Multiple infusions are possible and the price can make this a lovely every day tea.

This was a bit of a disappointment. Golden honey in color with tints of red moving into yellow hues near cups edge. Heavy sauna-like aroma of dry wood (aspen/cedar) and milk chocolate on the steeped leaves which do not transfer much to the cup. Much fruitier that other 2nd flush Darjeeling teas I have had, and also not as complex and a little muddy, where the individual notes are not defined and make it just taste like “tea”. Seems to be missing something… the classic muscatel notes are very quiet and the light astringency on the finish tends to make me think I am drinking a “dumbed down” or “Lite” version of what I was looking for. That being said, its not at all offensive… just not really that exciting for a single estate Darjeeling.

A lovely treat for the price! Rich amber, almost leaning towards light maple in the cup. Classic aromas of muscatel and dry wood come off of the steeped leaves, while the liquor carries a sweetness along with it. Wonderful sweet musk and wood flavors command the overall flavor profile, followed with hints of coco powder, black strap molasses and roasted acorn squash. Finishes with a lingering astringency which allows the coco, molasses and squash notes linger long after swallowing. Recommended infusion time from Adagio is right on at 2:00-2:30, allow the liquor to cool a bit before tasting to open up more flavors. If there is such a thing as an every-day single estate Darjeeling 2nd flush this may be it as the price is VERY reasonable and 2-3 steeps are possible.

Bright golden blanc de noirs champagne colors fills the cup as the scent of cooked herbs and violets rises slowly from what can only be described as a very special tea experience. Brisk notes of muscatel are surrounded by a menagerie of mildly sweet floral notes and nutty spice complexity that is actually hard to put a finger on. This would be a great time to insert profanity, as this review would really benefit the use of some colorful metaphors – haha. It tastes of life (to be as esoteric and nondescript as possible – sorry). The tea has a youthful astringency with a limestone finish that lasts for a ridiculous amount of time and draws upon very reclusive citrus notes.
This is EXACTLY what a world class Darjeeling 1st flush should taste like… absolutely brilliant. Lovely on its own, but I could really see this pairing well with some semi-sweet fruit preserves, goat cheese and just some good warm bread. Not at all inexpensive, but that’s Darjeeling for you. A 2nd and mild 3rd steep were possible, but the well defined beauty drifted a bit at each additional infusion. Get your hands on a sample or see if you can get your tea merchant to do a 15g or 25g bag. This tea is not to be missed.

Very elegant golden-copper color with pink hues fill the cup and invite you into the aromas of dry wood, citrus and apricot. The mild woody, nuttiness is the first thing you notice on the palate, also there is a clear overall flavor of light milk chocolate (think light chocolate milk with hints of malt) which developed more as the tea cooled. Slightly astringent on the back end, which helps to draw out some of the complexity, make the chocolate notes seem to be more dark than milk while enhancing the subtle apricot notes and lengthening the finish with balanced acidity. The finish maybe the best part of the tea.
To be honest on my first few sips I thought it was a little boring… but as it cooled a bit it really opened up the coco and lactic notes that acted as a blanket which enhanced the complex nutty flavors. The recommended brew temperature in “boiling” for 2 minutes, which I agree with, only I let mine go about 2:30. Also… after the tea is steeped, allow the liquor to cool for a few minutes (5-6 minutes worked well) in order to allow the flavors to become more clear. Quite a lovely change after having two very floral Oolongs earlier today! Well worth trying and a very good value with multiple infusions possible.

Light fuzzy needles of Fujian joy! Lovely Pale yellow ivory in color. Delicate floral aromas which yield to a soothing sweetness highlighted with notes of honey and lemon peel. Palate is much the same as the aroma with the addition of a slight musk and a juicy brisk finish which recalls the acid of the lemon notes and balances the sweetness perfectly. Flavors change as the tea cools, with notes of fresh cucumber coming into play and enhancing the overall experience. Multiple steepings are possible here, which is good because this in not an inexpensive tea. All this being said, this is a “I am in the mood for really good white tea” kind of experience and not an everyday tea in my opinion which makes purchasing a small amount a good choice.

Charming and light. Lovely light pale yellow color fading to near clear at the edges. Brilliantly floral on the nose… fresh lilies and jasmine come to mind. Light and smooth… honeydew and vanilla notes weave with the natural flowery green flavor. Perhaps a bit light for my tastes, but I really enjoyed this tea and would recommend it to anyone. A perfect way to start a tea tasting or tea dinner. A very classy cup!

A brilliant selection, with velvety complexity which is well worth the price. The golden oxidized tea buds are beautiful to look at. Brewed, golden-orange in color, fading to sunglow nearing the edges. Intense aromas of malt and wood with notes of orange zest and almond. Very silky and creamy with a dynamic palate that ranges from sweet potato and raisins to honey, coco and almonds finishing very sweet and long with balanced flint-like mineral acidity and very slight astringency. The honey notes increased as the tea cools, which added to the progressive experience. One of the best teas I have had in a while.