The tea for today is 2022 Future Sailor Mengsong Purple-White tea. Everything about this tea is a good combo of Mengsong region, Zijuan purple leaf varietal, and white tea. I’m a sucker for Bitterleaf Teas white teas and could not resist sample buying a whole cake.
Leaf and Steeping Method
The leaves have a peppery scent and are what I associate with other purple leaf teas.
I use my white tea steeping method of 1 gram of leaf per 20ml of vessel size and a ballsy boiling water temperature. After a steep, Future Sailor smells of sweet floral carnations.
Tasting of Bitterleaf Teas’ 2022 Future Sailor Mengsong Purple-White tea
First, Second, Third, and Fourth Infusion: Future Sailor’s texture is the first thing I notice as it is very thick, like thick milk with cotton batting. Flavorwise, it is cherry blossoms, sugar cane, cherry wood, and interestingly tangy, all with a buzzing wild honey floral aftertaste.
The thick texture is like drinking a meal, I’m feeling like I’ve binged eaten a large hearty meal and starting to regret it.
Fifth and Sixth Infusion: Bitterleaf Teas’ Future Sailor has shifted to tasting like sauteed green peppers. The tea wanes to wood and pepper flavors, with a mystery astringent sweetness that dries my tongue.
Seventh Infusion: I let this steep for 20 minutes. Future Sailor has a strange astringent caramel and watered down carnations comb. It is still thick in texture, coating my stomach.
As much as I felt sickly full from this tea, now I have gut rot and starving for cheese. My body is very mad at me and my brain feels itchy. I’ve finished drinking the tea and my ears are starting to pop from the tea energy.
Comments
This is not the first time I’ve had purple leaf white tea. Bitterleaf Tea’s 2022 Future Sailor Mengsong Purple-White is delightful for its amazing texture and interesting notes compared to most. There is good aging potential with this tea, like other purple teas, but the floral notes are tasty now.
Future Sailor’s purple leaf does get astringent in a way that other white teas do not. But if you have had purple tea before you’ll know what I’m talking about. Many seem to enjoy purple varietals and cannot get enough, but it may be too much for those who like sweet and easy teas.
