Back again with Atlas Tea Club – a monthly tea subscription that sends you tea from a new country! I think this tea club is such a great idea as it explores one’s horizons, provides tea education, and no international shipping to deal with. The previous box I wrote about is the Nepal month.
Today, I have teas from Thailand – Golden Lily Green, Gui Fei White, and Honey Scent Black! Not pictured is a baggie of paper infusers. Note: Typically everyone gets 2 teas per box with a choice of Greens, Variety, or Black teas – it appears I got it all.
Golden Lily Green
Golden Lily green has a honey grassy biscuit scent. I was suspicious if this is an oolong by name (as I’ve come across Golden Lily name and Thai green teas before) and nope, this isn’t rolled but certainly seen some oxidation.
For this tea, I went 185F/ 85c water temperature, gongfu steeped at a 1 gram per 20ml tea vessel ratio.
Golden Lily Green has a cucumber, crisp green pepper, floral honeydew, with an interesting swirl of ginger and lemongrass taste. The aftertaste is sweet and floral with odd blips of sweet ginger. Each infusion goes more savory, growing in herbal basil, ginseng, and ginger taste. I got 3 infusions then it started going bitter and medicinal, but it didn’t bite too hard.
I am notorious at this point for disliking green teas and I actually like this as it isn’t grassy, but has a strong aroma and complex floral notes. Either way, this is a green tea for the oolong lovers as it borders a green oolong’s heavier floral qualities.
Gui Fei White from Atlas Tea Club
Oh man, Gui Fei (aka bug bitten tea) that is a white tea – I am excited to try this tea as bug bittens tend to be oolong or black teas.
This white tea has a lovely wood and honey scent. I went off instructions, going boiling water as I love my white teas steeped ripping hot. The steeped leaves are super sweet smelling.
Early infusions of Gui Fei White are as sweet as the scent. This white tea tastes sugar sweet honey, cotton candy green grapes, and a floral rose, all with a thick buttery texture. Each steeping gets more floral rose and layering the sweet floral grape aroma. Gui Fei White is pretty consistent in resteeps, I let the final infusion go 20 minutes and it is a bit bitter, but is a strong grapey woodsy honey flavor.
Gui Fei White is an excellent white tea that is one of the sweetest around with pleasant floral layers. I will guzzle down the rest of this tea.
Honey Scent Black from Atlas Tea Club
The leaves smell of honey and raisin bread.
I also gongfu steeped this tea in boiling water. The hot leaves smell fruity but the tea itself is giving off a honey floral aroma.
The early infusions taste of brown sugar, raisin buttered scones, and finishing with an aftertaste of orange honey. Honey Scent black tea is on the lighter side, but it does build each steeping making a darker woody and dark raisin tea.
I went for an extended infusion for 15 minutes and this tea never got bitter or dry – it steeped up as a heavy dark raisin and honeysuckle honey flavor.
Overall, I enjoyed the flavors of Honey Scent Black as it was comforting and sweet, but also has a great bombproof steep ability.
Another awesome Atlas Tea Club! I enjoy all the teas in the box!
(teas provided for review)
