Subscription Box #1: White Tea Cakes

This is the first month of selling organized subscriptions and for the first focused subscription we are looking at white tea cakes. 

The subscription boxes are a reflection of the teas that I myself are exploring. In essence you are learning about tea with me. Recently I have been exploring white tea cakes, so this round of subscription is just that.

Anyone who knows me knows I don't like white tea cakes. I find that they are usually dry and lack the aroma and freshness that I love so much about white tea. That being said, last spring I came across the Herb Shop Aroma cake which is a cake I very much enjoy. I am always looking to develop my understanding and opinions on tea so recently I have been tasting a lot of cakes with a wide range of age and material. This round of Tea Subscription has just that. 

Cake 1: 2009 Zhe Rong.
This is an interesting cake because 2009 is around the time makers in Zhe Rong really started focusing on white, a little before that actually. This cake comes from a time when making was a little rougher but material a little better. As one maker put it “white tea didn’t sell for a lot of money so any money we spent on pesticides or fertilizers only took away from our profits” (paraphrased). 

Despite its age this cake remains light and crisp with a floral aroma that feels like its passing on a breeze. The age can also be tasted but not as heavy as one might think. It gives the teas a golden flavor with a bit of leafy texture. Surrounding these flavors is a sweetness that swells up around the tongue.

2018 Bai Mu Dan:
As opposed to 2009, 2018 was a good year to be selling white tea. The prices were high as was the demand. This cake clearly uses Bai Mu Dan material as the buds are clear. The use of buds may be why this tea doesn't break as nicely. I recently learned that cakes need leaves to be made well and a cake that uses too much buds will be structurally unsound. This is my least favorite of the three and you can see it as a reflection of a time where the focus on white tea was higher and cakes were trendy but not everything was top tier. 

This is from the same maker as the 2009 so there is a similar golden flavor and sweetness. On this one though the flavor is less smooth and is a bit more crispy with a bit more life. There is also a yeasty life flavor/texture in there.

2025 Watermelon White Cake:
A tea from this year, this is the same exact material as the Watermelon White loose tea. Caked looser and more comfortably than the 2018 but using better material than the 2009, this is a cake that shows craftsmanship in cakes. This tea is caked by specific request and is caked with skill. It’s a reflection of caking for actual tea drinking and enjoyment and not just for the sake of caking.
This cake is made out of heirloom varietal using all leaves so the material is different. This is also a unique tea for its natural watermelon flavor, a flavor profile never seen before. This cake is savory and rich with a similar golden flavor, but due to its recent making it feels more like sunshine.