Yabao is an incredibly intriguing tea, evoking marshmallow sweetness, spice, and even cooling cedar notes. By combining it with a light sun dried green jasmine from Yunnan, and whole vanilla bean, this brew steeps up perfectly smooth, thick and velvety. The floral elements of the vanilla and honeysuckle are extended to the aftertaste with marigold and rose petals, and the spice of the yabao is sharpened with goji berry. This well-integrated take on the traditional “Eight Treasures” is sweet but nuanced, and great hot or iced.
Ingredients: Yunnan Green Jasmine, Silver Buds Yabao, Organic Goji Berry, Organic Marigold, Organic Whole Vanilla Bean, Organic Honeysuckle, Organic Rose Petal, Organic Elderberry
My Review:
Yabao? What the heck is Yabao? According to Wikicha, "Yabao is a tea made from tea buds in the Yunnan Province of China, whose name "Bud Treasure."" It is considered by some to be a white tea and others to be a puer. This in all honesty to me looks like an herbal tea.
Using my press and 185 F water, this was steeped for two minutes. The wet leaf aroma is not appealing to my nose - reminding me of cat pee. Sorry just stating facts. It is probably more of a kiwi scent but I call them as I see or smell them. The brew is dark golden and just on the verge of orange.
I take a sip and immediately notice rose and a spicy metallic sharpness. Hmmm. I added some sweetener, which is how I normally enjoy my tea. This causes the rose and the sharpness to go into hiding. Now I taste floral jasmine and sweet honeysuckle with just a hint of vanilla. There is a slight peppery note late in the sip. At the very front of the sip I catch just a glimpse of the marigold.
This is an interesting mix of flavors. This is reportedly very good iced with tasting notes of strawberry and kiwi. I am not a big fan of chai or floral type potpourri mixes, so this is not something I would buy for myself. I would however gladly sip it on a summertime porch with friends.
Visit the Verdant Tea website.
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