Jade Earrings - Superior Hand Rolled White Tea of Simao

I finished this one up a while ago but forgot to post a note. I feel bad because it was a tasty and charming white tea. It deserved better.

I recall that it reminded me of a green tea at times; it had the hay notes you see in many white teas, but it was altogether grassier than what I expected: bamboo shoots and sweetgrass too! It was a temperamental steeper and could get grass-bitter if oversteeped though. It made me think of a laying in a grass field and listening to the blades rustle in the wind. All in all, a very restful and vibrant tea.

First of all, yes I bought this tea because it looked pretty. Second, holy cow is it ever good. On the taste alone, I can say it is one of the best whites I have ever tried.

Steep 1: 2g (this is a light tea), 250 mL hot (not boiling) water, 1 minute
-The small earrings (circles) have unraveled into fiddlehed shaped hybrids. Not quite leaf shaped, not quite round.
-Fragrant (aromatic and floral)
-Lots of tannin, but still maintains that delicate white flavour

Steep 2: 1.5 minutes
-Unravels into two small leaves or one leaf + small bud
-More flavourful
-Honey aroma
-Notes of sweet hay and dried bamboo leaf

Steeps 3-5: 1 minute
-Slightly medicinal, similar to some Yabao puerh/white tea buds
-Less floral and more sweet hay and honey

I received 3.5g of this tea in one of the random boxes I’ve received from Liquid Proust a while back. I decided to drink it today as it seemed like a tea which should be consumed while at least moderately fresh.

The aroma from the leaves was slightly citrus, with a sweet floral/hay backbone. It expressed some typical white tea flavors, including that sweet hay/straw note common to the type of tea. The texture was velvety and soft, with some cream and milk notes to the flavor adding to the mouthfeel. It also often had a slight peppery finish, which was enough to make this tea decently interesting. It’s not something I’m likely to buy more of, but one which I am glad to have tried!