This tea does not quite resemble a white tea, or an oolong tea.
Read more about this contradiction at the Norbu Tea website.
The dry leaf is quite extraordinary; the leaves look frosted and outlined in faint white. The leaves are well pearled and have a wonderful waxy sheen to them.
In trying to describe this tea in a way one could understand, I ran into a few instances of writers block, and tasting memory block (if there is such a thing!).
The aroma of the dry leaf can be summed up in a few different scents:
Sweet bread, cream and raw stevia.
There is also a very mildly vegetal hint in the mixture of aromas.
The leaves after the initial rinse had a plain smell that was simply milky sweet.
In several ways, this tea reminded me of a quality baozhong.
As the tea brewed, I took to thinking.
This tea was unlike any other I have experienced thus far. To even say this tea reminds me of a baozhong is a stretch.
The sweet steam rising off the top of the cup carried the smells of raw plant matter and sweet cream. There was a light floral aspect as well, but barely traceable.
Throughout the whole session with this puzzling specimen, I wrung my brain to find the right descriptors.
This is the best I could come up with...
Raw sugar cane
Creamy edamame
That is the extent to which I can describe this tea in my own words.
The tea did not have the greatest endurance, but the flavor profile stayed consistent for each steep.
This was a humbling encounter with a stunning tea.
I could not have had a better session.
~billy
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