Mountain Stream Teas carries some unique teas. Today’s tea their 2019 White Mountain Taiwanese Old Growth White Tea. It is the same material as their Taiwanese sheng (which I have reviewed already) but this time is processed as white tea.
I believe I got the purple leaf varietal as I preordered this tea the next day of their newsletter announcement. After some time, the tea arrived, I promptly forgot about it and left it in the ziplock baggie it came in for months.
I was reminded again when I was contacted by Mountain Stream Tea that someone got mold on their cake after a brief time in their storage and for me to check on my cake. There is no mold on my tea but it smelled a bit swampy compared to arrival, so I let it air for a week in my tea room before going back into the bag. I didn’t want to air it out too generously so the white tea doesn’t lose the aroma and flavor.
Leaf and Steeping Method
White Mountain’s leaves have a fruity but also bit sour fruit leather scent to it.
I used 1 gram of leaf per 20ml of vessel size, gongfu steeped in boiling water. Rinsed, the tea smells like hot cinnamon rolls.
Tasting of Mountain Stream Teas’ White Mountain Taiwanese Old Growth White Tea
First Infusion: This is a completely strange and unusual tasting white tea.
White Mountain sips in with a raisin sweetness and of sharp pantry cinnamon – not Rougui oolong cinnamon that one would typically experience in tea.
Second and Third Infusion: This tea is spicy! White Mountain is showing off more zippy cinnamon flavor, with a golden raisin and honey sweetness. Other sips have a bit of a baked apple note. This tea is sweet and crisp, easy to drink, but also my brain is trying to decide how this white tea got like this so I keep drinking.
Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth Infusion: Mountain Stream Tea’s White Mountain is now is the colour of black tea.
The tea sips in still cinnamon and spicy, along with excellent fruity sweetness. The tea is now giving some good salivation and not a lick of dry or bitterness. The texture, now that I’ve slowed down from chugging, is balmy.
Five steeps in and I could feel this tea buzzing my brain and making me sweat. My eyes are spiraling and feeling ticklish.
Ninth, Tenth, and Eleventh Infusion: I’m steeping this a long time but still has plenty left. The notes are woody, somewhat zesty lime, and boiled down cinnamon sticks. It is still not bitter or dry.
The leaves still smell like there’s more in it, but by the time I’m pouring my infusion, it is close to room temperature.
Comments
Mountain Stream Teas’ 2019 White Mountain Taiwanese Old Growth White Tea is an unusual white tea with strong autumn notes and longevity. I thoroughly enjoyed this session as despite being a strange tea, it was delicious with plenty of energy. I think this white tea will age well too as it is dark and sweet already. The shift to medicinal notes will be an interesting addition.
This tea was limited so I was happy I preordered to get my hands on it asap. I suggest following or signing up for Mountain Stream Teas’ newsletter or social media to get in on these odd teas.
