Nepal Snow Mountain White

I only ordered 20g of this from Canton, as it was so obscenely expensive. But I was curious to try it. It brews a light silvery gold, and tastes distinctly like white rice, bread or wheat. It is naturally sweet, and looses flavor considerably when it cools, which only means that you shouldn’t linger over it. It is like Norbu’s Ya Bao, but even smoother and more delicate, and without any hint of pines. It tastes nothing like Bai Mu Dan or Silver Needle, it is indeed a class of its own in terms of white tea. If you don’t like white tea, then you’ll probably not enjoy this tea – it is very delicate, and shy in terms of flavor. If you, like me, enjoy white teas, then indulge in a small pouch of this. It is an interesting and very tasty tea.
Brewed western style, at 70C. Canton tea recommends brewing it at 75C, and after a taste at 70C I agree. The tea loses flavor considerably when it cools down. Zero astringency, don’t add sweeteners (it’s naturally sweet), or milk. Silky smooth but light body.
The leaves were dark greenish and silvery white, medium length, and twisted.
Points taken off for the exorbitant price.

Making myself take time out from my revision schedule to spend quality time with my beloved, I decided it would also be a good opportunity to sample this tea, which a good friend sent me. The leaves are thick, fuzzy and curly, ranging from almost white, through green to a brownish olive green colour. The dry leaf has a sweet earthy aroma with caramel overtones. It already does not feel like a normal white tea.

I brewed the tea in a gaiwan because my teapot had not been washed from my Lapsang binge this afternoon and I am rather glad I did. The experience was much enhanced by this. The steeped liquor is amber in colour with a strong floral aroma and a definite citrus edge to it. It tastes silky sweet and floral, with a hint of caramel and that citrus edge comes through to cut the other flavours and produce a very different experience for a white tea. The aftertaste is phenomenal. It is sweet and citrussy but goes on forever. The sweetness leaves after a while but the taste of fresh, sweet tangerines remains even almost an hour after finishing the cup. Better yet, this is a whole body tea infused with a sense of well-being and relaxation. As I drank the tea I could feel this week’s crap melting away. I really needed something like this and am so glad I picked the right tea.

This is a truly superb tea that deserves a quiet contemplative moment if you are to enjoy it to the full. Don’t worry if you don’t have the time because the tea will grab you and massage you into submission. This is no shrinking violet. It is a firm yet compassionate nanny that will take proper care of you. It is not cloying like some white teas can be and it has so much more depth than many teas. It rewards care and the attention you pay to it. I so need more of this.