Mist & Moonbeam
First flush
The first plucking of the year, taken in early spring after the bushes have sat dormant all winter. Growth is slow in the cold, yields are small, and the leaf comes off young and tender — the most aromatic leaf the garden produces all year.
White tea is the least processed tea there is, so the raw leaf is very nearly the whole cup. First flush buds still carry their silver down and their spring sugars — the source of the vanilla and buttercream notes here. A later, coarser leaf would simply taste thinner.
About the tea
Mist & Moonbeam is a luxurious Himalayan white tea offering velvety floral notes, hints of vanilla, spring blossoms, muscatel, and a buttery smooth finish. A delicate, minimally processed white tea from the same garden as our black.
Production process
This tea defies typical white tea expectations and follows a distinct, refined process. Harvested by hand during the first flush, only the tender one leaf and a bud are plucked. Unlike most white teas, which are barely processed, this tea undergoes a unique transformation, earning it the nickname "Silvery Oolong."
After a natural withering period, the leaves soften and are gently rolled for 8–10 minutes under low to medium pressure. This brief rolling allows the tea leaves to release their essential oils, filling the room with a fresh, floral aroma. The magic happens here, capturing the fragrance at just the right moment before it’s sealed in through drying. It’s this subtle deviation in process that creates a tea so rich and aromatic that some even place it in its own category, somewhere between white and oolong.
Steeping instructions
Ingredients
Camellia sinensis, whole leaf. Nothing else.
Flavor profile
Vanilla, buttercream, fresh flowers.