Organic White Peony Supreme White Tea | Fuding Bai Mu Dan

When I started discovering the different varieties of tea I've been instantly captured by the tenderness and sweetness of white tea. I've tried White Peony from different sources over time, but the first impression that I had with the one from Jing was terrific! Regular White Peony (also known as Bai Mu Dan) is usually composed by few white buds, some green leaves and many wide dark coloured leaves (some cheap varieties have some stems too!). But when you open a bag of Jing Organic White Peony you'll will be impressed by the huge proportion of tips and by the deep and sweet woody fragrance. The liquor is gold with green hues (not found in standard white tea) and the flavour is mellow, sweet and delicate. It's the perfect tea to drink after dinner for its calming effect and warm aroma (it is said that white tea is high in theanine, an amino acid which reduces stress...). An everyday favourite of mine, it's even quite high in antioxidants as the test revealed. I think it's worth to spend more for this organic version in comparison to the lower grade one found in the site, which I found far less satisfying than this.

The White Peony Supreme really benefits from a generous steeping time. I use a good three teaspoonfuls of the tea brewed in 70C water for five minutes. I find this particular tea is well suited to Jing’s Gong Fu set; the lightness and clarity of the glassware complement the teas character. The infusion has a delectable, sweet and enticing aroma over scents of new growth. It produces a pale golden liquor. It is a tremendously pure and fresh tasting tea, with an intensely delicate texture in which grassy notes are complemented by honeydew fruitiness. It leaves me feeling relaxed and uplifted. I cannot think of a better time to drink this tea than on a still, quiet and sunny afternoon. There is nothing like sitting down and appreciating the returning beauty of nature in spring, a time which this tea is so evocative of.

Jing’s Organic White Peony is truly a multi-sensory treat. Visually speaking, the tea just about screams freshness. The leaves are large and downy, and look as if they were picked moments before being put in my sample packet. The dried blend’s aroma is characterized by floral notes leading the way for a subdued sweet earthiness. The brewed tea is certainly superior to any other white peony I have sampled. An unmistakable honeydew melon flavor is prominent and seems so authentic that one could be convinced that there was a piece of melon soaking in the tea. The melon flavor provided a hint of sweetness that was well-balanced by a gentle and enjoyable earthy flavor that rounded out each sip. I also picked up on a muted floral note that lingered on my tongue. This tea’s flavor profile was not so complex as to be intimidating, but nor was it so simple that it could (or should) be guzzled mindlessly. One thing I noted was that when consumed as a hot beverage, this tea had an unexpected creamy texture. When I later tested this as an iced tea, I didn’t detect that creamy mouth-feel. This tea does have a relatively high price tag ($40 for 250 grams), but white tea is generally more expensive than other tea types and this particular offering is much better than most other white tea offerings I have sampled. In all, I would highly recommend this tea to those looking for an outstanding white tea.