I purchased Yunnan Sourcing’s 2018 Jingmai Sundried Three Aroma Bai Mu Dan White Tea Cake back in 2018 of October, but I let it sit in airtight storage with other white teas for over 9 months. Drinking it now I was hoping to get some of the watery youth out of the pressing, so I get max flavor without the hitting the stale stage yet.
Prior to my purchase, I bought and reviewed the same tea in loose leaf form. I decided to go in on the cake as it is inexpensive and I wanted to increase my white tea stash.
The cake wrapper is simple and pretty, looking pretty cool next to my oxalis plants.
Leaf and Steeping Method
The Three Aroma Bai Mu Dan white tea cake has an alfalfa hay scent making my nose instinctively itching and my bunny drooling.
The pressing is forgiving, it’s is easy to pry off pieces as it is airy and brittle enough I could use my fingers. Rest assured, this white tea cake isn’t looking for blood like the other ones out there are.
Similar to the loose leaf, I used 1gram of leaf per 18ml of vessel size, gongfu steeped in boiling water. I leafed a bit more than usual for white tea as I found this tea responds better due to the light flavor. The hot leaf smells like fresh snap peas and grass.
Tasting of Yunnan Sourcing’s 2018 Jingmai Sundried Three Aroma Bai Mu Dan White Tea Cake
First and Second Infusion: 2018 Jingmai Three Aroma Cake is lightly flavored. What I do pick up is tulips, underripe kiwis, and a bit of cucumber. The second infusion opened up a lot showing more floral qualities leaning on a bit of jasmine, and kiwi with a thickened texture like drinking almost set jello. Some sips are a bit zesty kiwi.
Third, Fourth, and Fifth Infusion: The hay notes pop in and out with an accompanied dried parsley note. With each steep the 2018 Jingmai Three Aroma Cake pushes the dried savory and zesty parsley note, losing the fruity one. There is a touch of sugar cane sweetness in the aftertaste. I have to note that I am steeping this pretty fast, going flash steepings for awhile. This white tea is quite sensitive and temperamental. There is a looming bitterness with the dryness here making my mouth feel gritty.
Sixth, Seventh, Eighth, and Ninth Infusion: 2018 Jingmai Three Aroma Cake has shifted to be thick and minerally with a creamy finish, with a sweet floral aftertaste finally showing up. Some sips are parsley and herbal. I took a sniff of the hot leaves and they now smell like hay. The final infusions were hay like until it faded.
Comments
2018 Jingmai Sundried Three Aroma Bai Mu Dan White Tea Cake from Yunnan Sourcing is similar to the loose material with the light flavors and thick texture. It is still a fussy sensitive brewer balancing bitterness astringency with light flavor payoff. The difference in the cake is slightly more savory and herbal notes, but still has an interesting play with sweet, floral, savory elements.
If you want a white tea that a little different or leans more savory, this one is a match. The complexity is interesting but I find brewing this one too tricky and variable.
This is a white tea that’s a little different than the rest. I do prefer the cake version as it takes up less space for aging. I will try to forget about it for a couple of years to see how it progresses.
