I love Taiwanese white teas, so when Mountain Stream Tea was having a sale, I snagged 100 grams of 2020 Sanxia White tea. This is a 2020 Winter tea of Qin Xin Gan Zhong cultivar.
Leaf and Steeping Method
The leaf looks quite wirely, though in the bag you can see that is a hairy tea. Interestingly, the Sanxia white leaves has a sugar cookie scent.
I disregarding the steeping instructions as I like my white tea in my face, so a gongfu ratio of 1 gram of leaf per 20ml of vessel size, boiling water. After an infusion, the leaves have a muscat grapes scent.
Tasting of Mountain Stream Tea’s 2020 Sanxia White Tea
First, Second, and Third Infusion: Sanxia White tea is sweet and light, with a hint of milkiness to start, I could have rinsed here as the first infusion is pretty light. As the tea opens up, it has a subtle but smooth orange blossom note along with powdered savory ginger without the heat or warmth.
This tea has a nice silkiness and I can feel it kicking back in the throat, similar to other Taiwanese oolongs in body feel. Finally, the aftertaste is fleeting and of rock sugar.
Fourth and Fifth Infusion: The colour shifted to amber.
Sanxia White is fairly subtle, but I’m getting a bit of a grapes and rosemary note, though this overall tea has lost flavor very quickly. I got the feeling of being slapped awake, despite drinking such a light tea. With a final 10 minute infusion, Sanxia White is a bit stewy bitter, but emphasised the savory ginger notes.
Gosh, this leaf is perfect.
Lazy Style (aka Grandpa Style): Sanxia White is more fragrant drinking out of a cup with the leaves in – adding strong swirls of orange blossoms. The flavor is a bit stronger ginger and sweeter instead of savory, bringing out a stronger sweeter finish that lingers a bit.
Comments
Mountain Stream Tea’s 2020 Sanxia White tea is a unique experience with a captivating flavor and body feel. It is also cool to have an uncommon Tawiwanese white tea. This is a pretty subtle tea and softly flavored gongfu style, so it may not be for some.
Lazy/ Grandpa style makes Sanxia White more flavorful and aromatic, enhancing the ginger element. Since drafting this review, I revisited this white a number of times in a short period of time, as I was unsure whether I enjoyed it or not but every time I went Lazy style as the enhanced aroma is where it is at.
I am unsure how Sanxia White will age, but I purchased extra so I can easily forget about it so it can clock in some years.
