Tuesday, November 18, 2008

The Simple Leaf’s Decadence Review

Type: White
Origin: Rungmook Estate in Darjeeling, India
Price: $15.95 for 1oz
Vendor: The Simple Leaf
Brewing Method: 1 teaspoon of leaves (2.5-3 grams), 1 cup of filtered water, heated to 160°F-170°F, steeped for 2-3 minutes.
Overall Score: 4.8 out of 5

Decadence is a delicate white tea from Darjeeling, India. The loose leaves are huge, long strands – and by long I mean a good inch and a half. They are a beautiful mix of light greens, dark greens, and whites.

The aroma of the dry leaves is very fresh and vegetal. It reminded me of the smell of spring, where everything is lush and full of life.

The aroma of the tea is light, but, once you find it, it has a fresh, crisp smell. The liquor is a pretty pale yellow color.


I have had many white teas, but I don’t think I have ever tasted a white tea as smooth as this one. It has a very delicate taste. It is very crisp, light, and I think it is safe to say refreshing. There is not even a hint of bitterness or astringency anywhere near this cup. I think this tea would be best served after a meal, because I think if this were served with food, you might lose the delicate flavor.

This tea is not an “every day” type of tea – you will notice that when you take a look at the price. However, you can serve this tea to your special guests… kind of like breaking out “the good wine” on those certain occasions.

I think this would be a nice tea to get when entertaining guests during the holidays. Serve this to fight the tryptophan from the turkey so you can stay awake enough to actually watch the football game (and tea also aides in digestion too… for those second and third helpings)!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Great review. I too really love Decadence. I appreciate reading your tea experience.

Brittiny said...

Thanks so much! :)