Well, I’m lost in a time warp. April and May have been so busy that I’ve been running on fumes. I posted April’s White2tea Club last week and forgot I had March already sitting in my folder, with most of all the teas long consumed. This is the 2022 March White2tea club, which has a Tieguanyin, Hongcha, but also a sample of White2tea’s 2020 Fortune Teller.
Fireside Tieguanyin
The leaves have roasted woody honey scented. It is a simple yet comforting smell.
I used a gongfu ratio of 1 gram per 15ml (for this tea and all teas in this post), I didn’t feel like going strong AF as I go with this style of oolong. After the first steep, the leaves open to a sweet roast, almost hojicha like.
First, Second, Third, and Fourth Infusion: The first infusion is technically the rinse, but I drank it. It’s sweet, smooth roasted chestnuts with a bit of milkiness. Going into it, Fireside Tieguanyin is a lightly buttery caramel, nutty roast, with a light buttery texture. From here, the tea is fairly consistent.
The fourth infusion was particularly good as it was quite milky buttery roasty. After that, the tea goes light on flavor quickly and adds a layer of bitternut skins. However, this tea lacks much of an aftertaste – it’s got a bit of mineral sweetness but that’s it.
I did enjoy Fireside Tieguanyin – it’s a good comfort food flavored, low-stress oolong. A great mellow tea to drink while working or for a simple afternoon tea. The buttery nutty notes are quite nice. Not all tea has to be fancypants.
Butterjam Red from the 2022 March White2tea Club
The leaves have a berry scent. After steeping, the leaves open up more of a marionberry (kind of a raspberry blackberry hybrid) scent.
First, Second, Third, and Fourth Infusion: Butterjam Red is a crisp, strong, fruity, bit malty with a buttery texture. After the tea opens up, it’s a bit boiled cinnamon, and berries, with more butter and cherry wood. It does remind me of my father’s margarine and jam sandwiches.
By the fifth infusion, Butterjam Red is crispy astringent cinderblocks and steeped berries. The final infusion is buttery dryness with a tart berry note.
Definitely an eye-opening tea – the whole trip was soothing notes but slapping me awake with potent dark flavor. I felt like I drank a full breakfast at 3 pm.
White2tea 2020 Fortune Teller Sheng Puer
This club came with a maocha sample of 2020 Fortune Teller, however, I also own a sample of the cake. I decided to drink the cake sample instead, which would be more useful to you readers.
Fortune Teller is 2016 material, pressed in 2020 – promised to be a good mid-aged daily drinker sheng. The leaves have an amber incense scent. After a rinse, it smells like bruised peaches and an old forest floor.
First, Second, and Third Infusion: The rinse was actually drinkable and flavorful. The actually first infusion has a thick creamy texture right away, with a luxurious butter lipstick feel. The flavor is dried, but overly ripe stone fruit and mealy old autumn leaves. After a few moments, the heavy peachy aftertaste slinks in.
Fourth Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Infusion: At maximum flavor, the texture is thick and cloggy on the throat. The potent flavor is fruity with the heavy aged fuzzy peach aftertaste and old leaves. Some sips have a twiggy note. Each steeping gets stronger and more bitter.
In silver, Fortune Teller really shines making the fruity notes brighter and sweeter.
Eighth, Ninth, Tenth, and Eleventh Infusion: The tea lightens and sweetens, so I don’t need the silver tea cup. Fortune Teller’s flavor is strong and slightly bitter, still holding on to the peachy aftertaste. The final infusions are minerally, sweet, and still fruity, though steep at this point is lukewarm in temperature.
Fortune Teller is for texture and aftertaste lovers! I found the maocha is stronger in flavor, but likely the pressing with tighten up with some time. The flavor is pretty consistent but is a pleasant middle-aged sheng and heavy fruity flavor. I could be convinced to buy a cake if I didn’t already have a lot of 2016 teas.
