Taste profile Nose: Fruity bouquet that hints of guava, on an undertone of steamed bamboo leaf and accents of aged ham and fermented soy. Palate: Bright, lively and fruity. Long with touches of umami and floral aroma. Very slight bites of the bitterness of nuts. Finish: Lightly sweet but long lasting bouquet presence. Infusion tips Recommended infusion temperature: 90°C, leaf to water ratio: 2g to 100 ml for 5 min, raise ratio for strength or for shorter infusion duration. Do whatever you want with this very flexible and wonderful tea but do not under brew it. It will be a waste if so. Use it as your tea mug tea or party teapot. This is also a tea that can give a dense and velvety “expresso” that is another world from that of the coffee bean. Water quality is critical In England and some other parts of Europe, we have found that the tap water is so jammed with TDS that people incline to steep the tea very slightly to avoid the tragic of a cloudy and not so pleasant cup. This is a passive way of dealing with the problem. To me, it is rather illogical and contradictory that the same person would spend money to buy a bottle of wine but not a fraction of the price for water for a cup of good tea. Choose a good water. It does not have to be expensive, choose one that is low in TDS (below 150 ppm) and near pH7 or a touch lower. An alternative would be an effective filter that can reduce the dissolved solids in your tap water. Make sure it is not those that add salts to turn a water from “hard” to “soft”. It will just add to the TDS. A reverse osmosis filter can be considered if there are no other options, not because of the price but that it basically makes a water that is almost like distilled water, which is not my first choice for making tea with. A truly enjoyable sip of wholesome and tasteful tea does require a little work, but the reward is certainly worth it. Mr Yu proudly shows off how clean he can maintain his tea garden by using his natural ways of pests control and the yeast based soil improver that he helps to produce. On the right is a hut in his garden that distribute this same soil improver for the state university. We have also seen the processing barrels, where there is a distinct earthy fermentation scent. Read more: A white tea is defined by its biochemistry, not just the name A very short history of white tea that concerns you as a drinker Myths about White Teas
