My Overall Impression (Score of 87 %)

I love white teas and I have several review coming up for them shortly.  The major reason I don’t place these in my rotation more?  They are extremely delicate, requiring complete focus on them during reviews or enjoyment.  We all know that in the morning, we are craving a bit of caffeine, so I tend to brew something black to get going.  However, I need to start using the white teas in the afternoon for a break.

White teas are amazing.  While they look like they will not have any flavor, they are filled with nuances that you have to look for.  Washabarie White Wonder is a splendid example of this.  When I opened the package, there was not a great deal of aroma there (which is to be expected).  Add on that the leaves are sexy (with its length and hairs), and you really want to brew it to see what emerges.  Once brewed, it perks up immensely.  You have to dive deep, but the dive is worth it.  I love this tea and it’s a beautiful brew that is worth the price. 

The price as of 12/27/23 is $20.16 for 50 gm.

Broken down:

• 50 gm / 3 gm for steeping = 16 cups
• 16 cups from package = $1.26 per cup

Typically, I double steep all my teas (use the tea twice) so I can get 32 cups or approximately 63 cents per cup.  This is a great tea but do not oversteep on time or it will turn bitter.

Aromas

• In the bag, there are notes of dried grass, dried wood (like a 2 x 4 – honestly) and fresh paper or cardboard.
• These are followed by notes of green leaves, malted milk powder, green grapes, and corkboard.
• Once brewed, this shines with notes of delicate green malt, spiced wood (like sandalwood), cardamom, 5 Spice powder, toast, Brazil nut flesh and minute notes of citrus rind.

Flavors

• The brew contains multi dimensions on the flavor profile that you have to look for due to its delicate notes.
• It’s filled with notes of citrus rind, toasted green malt, cocoa, dried parsley, dried marjoram, fresh peas, plain cookies ( such as animal crackers), fresh almonds, fresh walnuts, and vanilla bean paste.
• Super silky mouthfeel with delicate textures that reminded me of table cream.
• This brew is off dry with medium plus acidity and lower tannins (when brewed at the right temperature)

Scores

• Aromas (4.3/5)
• Flavors (8.5/10)
• Overall impression (4.6/5)
  • Total score = 87 percent (17.4/20)

Foods to Pair and Why

• First of all, white teas are delicate in flavor and the goal is to not mask these but to bring them out or help elevate them. I wracked my brain with this sample as it’s super delicate and I do not want to hide what’s here.
• Since it had just a hint of numerous flavors (with vanilla being prominent), I wanted to focus on pairing with this in mind. Angel Food cake freshly made with a hint of infused whipped cream would be a lovely treat with this.  The infusion?  Either some of the tea itself or a drop of vanilla bean paste to heighten the flavor.
• I would love to try to make this into an ice cream. Instead of vanilla, place a good quantity of the tea to steep in the warming of the cream and then strain out before making the custard base.  You will have to play with the amount as the cream’s fat will mask the flavors.  Also remember that when you freeze your ice cream, you lose about 50% of your flavor due to the cold.
• This would also match well with a crème Brulee or infuse the tea into the cream base like above.
• The touch of 5 Spice powder in the flavor got me thinking. I would love to make a tea smoked chicken breast that was hand shredded and tossed into a quick stir fry with bean sprouts.  This could be served hot in colder times or made and chilled to be served in summer as it would be quite refreshing with the tea.
• While I’m on the Asian thought process, an egg drop soup would be fantastic with this. Instead of dashi-based broth, use the tea to form the flavor base.
• Lastly, I crave a good ciabatta bread (weakness of mine). This split in half into planks and grilled with good olive oil and served with fresh mozzarella and lightly breaded sauteed veal would be incredible.