Review: Zhi Tea White Shizandra

Nov 29

Review: Zhi Tea White Shizandra

David_A’s Teaview Snapshot

"A remarkable tea I have come to enjoy after several cups. For me the tartness and bite are an acquired taste. "

David_A’s Teaview:	8.5/10
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Background:
The first set of teas I ordered were from Zhi. The teas came in an oval tin that is totally cool. I hadn't heard of the Shizandra berry before but not being one to shy away from new things I ordered some. The tea is a blend of white peony, Shizandra berries, safflowers, and natural tangerine flavoring.

Some web searching turned up that the Schizandra berry has been used for medicinal purposes for a very long time. Apparently, it can wake you up or calm you down based on whether you are feeling the opposite or not. You can search on the web for this information. It sounds very interesting.

The smell is very unusual. It has a very tart and biting smell. If you work at it you can pick up an underlying scent of the tangerine but it takes some time. The first part of the smell profile is definitely very tart. It was not something that I was expecting and for me it took some getting used to.

Zhi claims that you can get multiple infusions from the leaves. They do with all of their teas. I usually do this and the second cups is quite enjoyable.

Brewing:
Brewed for 2 ...œ 3 minutes with two teaspoons in about 14 ounces of water.

Taste/Impressions:
Now for my taste test/impression. This tea took some getting used to. For me this has become an acquired taste, which I drink regularly (that should tell you something). I was very surprised the first test. I didn't know the Schizandra berry would be so tart. It has an unusual flavor that lasts and lasts. I have now come to enjoy the tart bite on my tongue. A lot of the flavor is centered on the tongue and the roof of the mouth. The taste is very long lasting. Fascinating that as tart as the end of the taste is the initial flavor has a sweet component. Let the tea flow over the front of your tongue to get to taste the sweeter components of the tea. Also, as the tea cools off the bite decreases somewhat.

Conclusion:
A remarkable tea I have come to enjoy after several cups. For me the tartness and bite are an acquired taste. Before ordering a larger quantity try a sample from Zhi. You might just find that you come to enjoy this too. You will come to want that taste. I never would have expected a blend like this to be such a good combination and so successful. This is a tea for the adventurous and those that like strong, distinctive flavors.

— To purchase Zhi Tea White Shizandra, or for more specific information on ingredients or the story behind this particular blend, click here to go directly to the manufacturer's web site.