We may earn a commission from qualifying purchases.
Maple sweetness and cool wintergreen in a white tea you would not expect from Taiwan. Cold Bloom comes from TTES 18, a cultivar most farmers use for black or oolong, but the Yu family in Mingjian picks it young and lets it wither into something entirely different. The cup lands thick and sweet with a menthol finish that builds across steeps. Tasting Notes Think warm maple with a cool minty edge, like butterscotch meeting eucalyptus. The liquor pours pale gold with a sweet, woody scent rising from the cup. First steeps coat the mouth with creamy sweetness and a light wintergreen note that clears the palate. Later rounds shift toward dried apricot and warm grain as the menthol thread holds steady through eight or more steeps. That menthol thread running through a white tea — only Hong Yu does that. Origin Mingjian sits in Nantou County, Taiwan, at around 400 meters, lower than the famous high-mountain oolong zones but warm enough for TTES 18 to develop its bold aromatics. Mr. Yu's family garden uses natural farming with no synthetic inputs, letting the soil and subtropical climate shape the leaf. These buds were picked in February 2025, when cool mornings concentrate sweetness into every tip. The combination of TTES 18 and Mingjian's warm lowland climate gives Cold Bloom a character that white teas from coastal Fujian cannot replicate. Craft Hong Yu Bai Cha (紅玉白茶) means "Ruby White Tea," and the name fits. The Yu family picks TTES 18 buds and young leaves, then shade-withers them slowly instead of pan-firing or rolling. That gentle handling preserves the menthol oils the cultivar is famous for while building a body heavier than most white teas. Aging Potential White tea changes with time, and Cold Bloom has the structure for it. Over months the bright wintergreen softens while honey and dried-fruit notes deepen. Drink it fresh for the mint kick, or set some aside and revisit in a year to see how the maple sweetness grows warmer. A 25-gram bag gives you enough leaf to brew now and save a portion for later. Five sessions of seven to eight steeps each means plenty of room to explore both fresh and rested versions. Brewing Brew 5 grams (about a tablespoon) in 100 ml of 85°C water for 30 seconds. Stay at 85°C: boiling water pushes bitterness from these tender buds, so keep it gentle and let the sweetness come to you. Each session stretches to seven or eight steeps before the flavor fades. FAQ Is there white tea from Taiwan? Most white tea comes from Fujian, China, but a handful of Taiwanese farmers have started producing it from local cultivars. The result tastes different because the plants were bred for oolong and black tea, not delicate silver needles, which brings bolder aromatics and thicker body to the cup. How does Cold Bloom compare to White Peony? White Peony is a classic Fuding white with floral hay sweetness and a lighter body. Cold Bloom trades that gentleness for maple richness and a menthol edge, making it a different experience within the same category. Can I cold-brew white tea? Yes. Use 5 grams in 500 ml of room-temperature water and refrigerate for 6 to 8 hours. Cold brewing pulls sweetness and body while leaving most of the bitterness behind. Cold Bloom's maple and wintergreen notes come through clearly in a cold steep. Is Taiwanese white tea different from Chinese white tea? The processing method is similar — minimal handling, no rolling or roasting — but the cultivar changes everything. Cold Bloom uses TTES 18, a Taiwanese variety bred for black and oolong tea. That cultivar brings a menthol and maple character you will not find in Fujian whites, which tend toward hay and honey.
