Loose Leaf Tea: Ciao Bella

Tea Company: White August

Tea Company Description: Beautiful white tea tenderly layered with white chocolate and topped with ripe raspberries. A velvety smooth dessert tea.

Brewing Instruction: 1 teaspoon Tea per 8 ounces (1 cup) of filtered or bottled water. Heat water to desired temperature. This is best accomplished by using a thermometer. Water temperature is very important. Place Tea leaves into your infuser and pour the heated water over them. If possible, preheat the pot or cup with a little hot water. Cover and steep for the desired amount of time. General Steeping Guidelines: Whites and Green Teas: 160º to 175º for 3 to 4 minutes.

Review
Dry Leaf Assessment: This tea contains a mixture of finely plucked tender buds covered with a silvery down, some whole, but mostly broken unfermented whiskery leaves and pieces of dried fruit/berries. Dry leaves look lively, but a little darker than expected for its class. The scent of dry leaves has very distinctive raspberry-chocolaty notes.

Infused Leaf Assessment: Wet tea leaves are bright, lively reflective with varying shades from greenish to soft brown. Leaves are mostly broken. The aroma of wet leaves is pleasantly sweet with a definitive raspberry wine foreground.

Liquor: The color of the infusion is canary golden. The bouquet of the liquor is medium-bodied, smooth, with distinctive raspberry flavor and chocolaty finish. Sweet dessert wine notes are also present in the infusion with a short lasting floral aftertaste.

Recommendation: I would recommend shortening the steeping time which will result in a lighter infusion with a delicate fragrant and subtle sweetness. This tea is good hot or iced. When chilled and served over ice, it obtains thirst quenching refreshing properties, even though the aroma will substantially dissipate.

Score: 80 – Good.