When I was visiting 7Tea+ in Kyoto I asked for a recommendation to try a unique Japanese tea. Their tiny tea bar is so cute! Great selection and they clearly know a lot about tea from all over the world.
Much to my surprise, the woman who was helping me suggested a 2022 white tea from Shizuoka. While I appreciate white tea quite a lot, it’s the style of tea with the least amount of processing and to me that makes it usually less … exciting (?) than other tea out there.
This white tea however, does really stand out from the very start.
First of all its leaves are gigantic. I’m reminded of Tai Ping Hou Kui or some loose Mao Cha from wild trees in Yunnan. The dry leaf nearly didn’t fit in my gaiwan without breaking. Something about leaves like that is just magnificent and is really fun to brew. You have to trust that the water will fold everything together, and it does – like magic.
Second, the flavor is sublime. Delicious dried banana notes with bamboo and sweet melon and a mouthfeel that is smooth with a slight papery texture; very comforting. I was suspicious of the recommended 30 second steep time but I was not disappointed. The liquor is a delicate gold in the cup and the aroma immediately told me this was something special.
Two infusions later, I’m still enjoying this. The sweet bamboo flavor only gets more pronounced over time and there’s been very little loss of body.
I think I’ve been disappointed by white tea sometimes and I forget just how good it can be. Thanks, folks at 7Tea+!
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