Review: Canton Tea Company’s Snow Buds Tea

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The Subject:	Snow Buds
Company:	Canton Tea Company. [More info]

Straight Tea Rating:
About the rating designation.

Water temperature:	149° F (65° C)
Steeping time:	2-3 mins. (we recommend 2, 2½, & 3 mins.)
Tea type:	Green
Dry leaves:	Medium green, asparagus aroma

Round A — 3 Infusions:
Steeping times —	2, 2½, & 3 mins.
Tea/Water Qty —	2 tsp tea leaves, 2 c water ea. infusion
Aroma, plain —	Light, planty
Taste, plain —	Light
Color, plain —	Pale yellow-green, almost clear
Round B — 2 Infusions:
Steeping time —	2½ mins.
Tea/Water Qty —	2 tsp tea leaves, 1 c water ea. infusion
Aroma, plain —	Planty
Taste, plain —	Vegetal
Color, plain —	Pale green

 

Comments:

The pouch used for this tea was made of foil and was heat sealed. Gotta love it! Those tea leaves journeyed all the way from Twickenham, UK, to my P.O. box here in the Southeast U.S., so using a package that blocks light, air, and moisture shows true care on the part of the vendor. And the label is clearly marked with steeping recommendation for time and water temperature.

Look at those wonderful tender whole leaf pieces, both before (medium green) and after steeping (bright green):

According to the vendor, this is a first tea of the spring. As such, it has a light flavor. We discovered that a bit of experimentation was needed. Our first round of infusions came out so light tasting that it was a bit unexciting. So, we tried a second round using the same amount of tea leaves but half as much water. The result was a fairly satisfying liquid.

For us, this is a tea to sip during a quiet contemplative moment. The fact that it’s also flexible, where you can adjust the strength to suit the depth of your contemplatory mood, is a point in its favor.

Disclaimer: This tea was provided by the company named. However, the rating of the tea and any opinions concerning it are always strictly objective.