A while back Rachel Carter, iHeartTeas, came up with the suggestion of a G+ Tandem Tea Tasting. We gather to conduct a virtual tea tasting and follow-up with a blog about our experience.

Our initial meeting was a wonderful combination of tea and riotous laughter that prompted the suggestion to continue this event in the future.

 

After a brief hiatus last evening we convened again to sample Ancient Moonlight White Bud Bar from Wild Tea Qi.

I had prepared, when this tea was suggested, well in advance of our meeting, offered and sent a sampling to one of the previous attendees along with a few other samples for future tandem tasting.

So judicious I was in this feat, I put away the balance of my bar in such a safe place. When the announcement came we would be meeting again I searched high and low for the balance of my bar without success.

I opened every canister, every storage case, searched every nook and cranny where tea would be stored.

 

I did however find a packet of loose “pure buds” Ancient Moonlight White.  I did not want to miss this long awaited gathering, so I decided it would have to do.

 

So, I looked at this as my way of checking the differences between the two, bars vs. leaf. The similarities and differences were clear. I also mention, bar or bud this will be tea will be stocked on my shelf for future white tea experiences.

Rachel Carter gave suggested brewing instructions beforehand so we would all have some consistency in our cups and of course, the raucous rebellious, Geoffrey Norman, Lazy Literatus took another path and started way before the crew. By the time the meeting began it was clear he was filled with tea.

 

As we began to describe our experience many of the terms and taste note references were the same. Using a gaiwan, the 30second brew I deemed “a rinse” pale yellow in color with a hint of white flavor. As a person whose palate leans towards stronger, robust flavor I decided to go for a longer 3 minute steep and got the taste closer to my palate liking. Then the fun began as I went through to three more steeps of this special Ancient Moonlight White.

Notes we agreed upon were verbalized or documented as smooth, silky, caramel, stone fruit, and even one attendee said reminiscent of sage in a subsequent steeping.

Darlene, The Tea Enthusiast’s Scrapbook, kept us focused on the discussion of the tea and for this I am grateful as we have a tendency, after a few cups, to stray off topic.  

Although mention of a macaron or two is highly appropriate in my opinion.

 Technical difficulties prevented a continuous flow to our conversation (I kept losing connectivity to the server) and Geoff lost visual, which did not prevent us from basking in this Moonlight.

Geoff kept us on point, I would say dry and he would write back tannic. My humorous mind referenced an old song that I will share here:

 Sung to the tune “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off” written by George and Ira Gershwin

 I say dry

 You say tannic

 It’s a Blue Moon

So let’s not panic

Dry, tannic no need to get frantic, don’t want to call the whole thing off.

Yes, I’m dating myself and excuse my tannic humor.

In looking on the Wild Tea Qi website prior to sharing the experience the information states this teas element is water, so it fits in my profile as I am a water child.

 In addition I found it interesting that the tea is “Handpicked and processed on the full moon from ancient trees in the high Mountain of Yunnan”, “the locals believe this special tea holds a unique energy and spirit from the phase of the moon”.

OK, I’m going to go there… we gathered to meet to drink this tea on the evening of an appearance of the “Blue Moon”  how appropriate.

 Judging by the group interaction and the wonderful time I had, with this special tea and the marvelous group, the “Blue Moon” was in full effect.

Attendees and their posts

Lazy Literatus, Geoff Norman

 http://steepstories.com/2013/08/23/moonlight-tandemonium/

Tea For Me Please, Nicole Martin

http://www.teaformeplease.com/2013/08/tandem-tea-tasting-wild-tea-qi-ancient.html

 I Heart Teas, Rachel Carter

http://iheartteas.teatra.de/2013/08/giggles-fun-moonlight-tea/

 The Tea Enthusiasts Scrapbook, Darlene Meyers-Perry

 

Note: one of the original attendees Jackie D was MIA and sorely missed.