Dear Shen,
I found your posting interesting indeed. And Ankit's and Juliantai are
informative as usual.
Here, I would like to share my experience a little.
You see, with the making of Tea, its the "JAT" which matters the most.
I remember making White Teas when small. We would go for a walk in the
plantations, chewing and enjoying the bitter taste of Raw Tea Leaves.
Sudenly you would come across a Bush with Bitterness surpassing the
average. We would tip the Buds off and tenderly dry them in the Sun.
Small quantities indeed, but beleive me, itssomething like the "Nose"
of Fermentation. You dont have a yardstick, but go around checking all
available Clones or Jats, and pick up the one showing the most promise
at that particular time of the year / season. White Teas are NEVER
full ... they leave you asking for more. Its perhaps the most delicate
beverage available.
Regards,
Jayesh Pandya.

On Aug 4, 1:24 am, Shen > wrote:
> On Aug 3, 12:02 pm, toci > wrote:
>
> > I've finally come to the conclusion that both the white teas and
> > Darjeelings are not for me. Ethereal, dainty, light, are all words
> > that mean- tastes like water. Not that there's anything wrong with
> > water, but why mix expensive leaves in it? For those who can taste
> > and rhapsidize over them, you now have more. Toci
>
> Until recently, I would have agreed with you. Whites, particularly,
> have always seemed a little insipid to me.
> However, during a recent green tea tasting at Imperial Tea Court, I
> had the privilege of savouring some "Everyday White". This white,
> unlike one-note others, is thick with flavour: sweet, slightly floral,
> but robust and toasty. It was sun-dried and, perhaps, that contributed
> to the taste complexity. I don't know.
> A pretty inexpensive tea, as well -$5.60 an oz.
> Occasionally, I'll find a white tea in Oakland Chinatown that I enjoy
> and usually freshness can play a very big part in that selection.
> There seems to be nothing more dreary than a stale white tea.
> Recently, I've had some Darjeelings from Lochan in India that are
> superior - rich, full of muscatel, tawny and fruity. The vendor that
> Phyll recommended, The Simple Leaf, has some really splendid
> Darjeeling-types and Oolongs,too. The "Honeybee" is exceptional.
> None of these teas, in the slightest, resemble water.
> A suggestion: take a break from the teas you've considered "dainty"
> and try some other vendors. I can guarantee that you'll not find
> "Everyday White" from ITC ethereal, light or
> dainty....................
> Shen

On Aug 7, 8:47 am, teapandya > wrote:
> Dear Shen,
> I found your posting interesting indeed. And Ankit's and Juliantai are
> informative as usual.
> Here, I would like to share my experience a little.
> You see, with the making of Tea, its the "JAT" which matters the most.
> I remember making White Teas when small. We would go for a walk in the
> plantations, chewing and enjoying the bitter taste of Raw Tea Leaves.
> Sudenly you would come across a Bush with Bitterness surpassing the
> average. We would tip the Buds off and tenderly dry them in the Sun.
> Small quantities indeed, but beleive me, itssomething like the "Nose"
> of Fermentation. You dont have a yardstick, but go around checking all
> available Clones or Jats, and pick up the one showing the most promise
> at that particular time of the year / season. White Teas are NEVER
> full ... they leave you asking for more. Its perhaps the most delicate
> beverage available.
> Regards,
> Jayesh Pandya.
>
> On Aug 4, 1:24 am, Shen > wrote:
>
>
>
> > On Aug 3, 12:02 pm, toci > wrote:
>
> > > I've finally come to the conclusion that both the white teas and
> > > Darjeelings are not for me. Ethereal, dainty, light, are all words
> > > that mean- tastes like water. Not that there's anything wrong with
> > > water, but why mix expensive leaves in it? For those who can taste
> > > and rhapsidize over them, you now have more. Toci
>
> > Until recently, I would have agreed with you. Whites, particularly,
> > have always seemed a little insipid to me.
> > However, during a recent green tea tasting at Imperial Tea Court, I
> > had the privilege of savouring some "Everyday White". This white,
> > unlike one-note others, is thick with flavour: sweet, slightly floral,
> > but robust and toasty. It was sun-dried and, perhaps, that contributed
> > to the taste complexity. I don't know.
> > A pretty inexpensive tea, as well -$5.60 an oz.
> > Occasionally, I'll find a white tea in Oakland Chinatown that I enjoy
> > and usually freshness can play a very big part in that selection.
> > There seems to be nothing more dreary than a stale white tea.
> > Recently, I've had some Darjeelings from Lochan in India that are
> > superior - rich, full of muscatel, tawny and fruity. The vendor that
> > Phyll recommended, The Simple Leaf, has some really splendid
> > Darjeeling-types and Oolongs,too. The "Honeybee" is exceptional.
> > None of these teas, in the slightest, resemble water.
> > A suggestion: take a break from the teas you've considered "dainty"
> > and try some other vendors. I can guarantee that you'll not find
> > "Everyday White" from ITC ethereal, light or
> > dainty....................
> > Shen- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Thanks, Jayesh!
How poetic the picking! Your description enhances my appreciation of
these teas!
Shen

On Aug 3, 9:30 pm, "Dominic T." > wrote:

> I've never
> met a "white tea person", who favors them predominantly or specializes
> in just them...

Well, I left my cup of african white upstairs and forgot about it and
I reckon it's gone pretty bad by now, but thinking myself very much
the 'white tea person' I think I'll go and drink it anyhow.

And now that we've thought to dump whites together with darjeelings
that can only make me even more the white tea person.

Regards all,

Im Teas