I have a problem as I blind buy too many white tea cakes as I know I can enjoy them many years later. Today, I got 2020 White Crow and 2020 Impress Forcibly Through Unexpectedness to review, both from Bitterleaf Tea.
2020 White Crow from Bitterleaf Tea
I seem to buy Bitterleaf Tea’s White Crow every year – I just can’t resist as it is good value for the quality. Here are the reviews from previous years – 2019 White Crow and 2018 White Crow.
2020 White Crow’s leaves have a creamy malty scent. This cake has some compression to it, I had to use some force to get some chiseled off.
My go-to ratio for gongfuing white tea is 1 gram of leaf per 20ml of vessel size, steeped with boiling water. Steeped up, i2020 White Crow has a honey tulip and baked goods smell.
First, Second, and Third Infusion: This tea is soft and thick – 2020 White Crow has a cotton batting texture with a milky tulip with a crisp fruity sweetness finish and short aftertaste.
Each steeping gets a bit more clearly fruity, sporting a ripe bartlett pear note and even more sweetness.
Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Infusion: 2020 White Crow finally shows off a hay note and a touch of vegetal stewy bitterness, with a squeaky mouth astringency. Some sips have a honey wheaty taste. By the fifth infusion, the colour is dark.
Seventh Infusion: I did a 15 minute steeping, and Bitterleaf Tea’s 2020 White Crow is dry and bitter bready but finishes honey sweet.
I quite like the 2020 White Crow due to the sweetness and thick texture compared to the previous years. The colour is impressive too! $28 for a 200 gram shou mei made White Crow a fine purchase. Either way, off to aging it goes.
2020 Impress Forcibly Through Unexpectedness Spring Wuliang Baimudan from Bitterleaf Tea
I love Wuliang White teas and they are a must buy for me. Bitterleaf Tea mentions to get Impress Forcibly Through Unexpectedness as a comparison cake, or if you enjoy their White Crow. Impress Forcibly Through Unexpectedness is Bai Mu Dan, so this is an early round picking with leaves and buds.
The scent of the leaves is light, maybe a bit of spice going on. Infused, the hot leaves have a buttercup floral scent.
First and Second Infusion: 2020 Impress Forcibly Through Unexpectedness starts off very delicate and lightly floral, with a buzzing floral aftertaste. Each steeping jumps a bit stronger, with a more buttery floral taste. The aftertaste shifts more crisp and sweet, all with a buttery silk texture.
Third, Fourth, and Fifth Infusion: With a delicate and balanced flavor, 2020 Impress Forcibly Through Unexpectedness has a tart Mcintosh apple note and lightly cider spiced note, buttercup floral, with an interesting snappy sticky texture. As this tea develops, the aftertaste changes to a tart apple, and the majority of this tea flavor comes from the aftertaste.
Sixth and Seventh Infusion: Quickly, 2020 Impress Forcibly Through Unexpectedness went bitter. It has a stewed strong bitter spinach taste, but still holding onto the apple notes. In these final infusions, this white tea has also gotten astringent, adding a dry feeling to the cheeks, finishing impossibly bitter to drink.
I dig how 2020 Impress Forcibly Through Unexpectedness is buttery, delicate, and balanced but also crisp in texture. This white tea also has an impressively strong aroma and aftertaste but grows bitter in the final infusions. 2020 Impress Forcibly Through Unexpectedness is fairly complex and light, so likely best for those who like bud heavy white tea.
$34 for a 200gram cake is a fair price. It is different enough to own White Crow too, but if you had to choose between the two white teas, I’d go with this one as it is more lovely.
