★★★☆☆
I received a sample of this tea in my CommuniTEA box. It was a bit too light for my taste, just very little flavor. This would be good for those looking for a relaxing afternoon sip.
A delicate tea made from tea buds collected and withered prior to opening. It creates a pale yellow, light-bodied, yet complex cup with hints of honeydew and a faint floral sweetness.
Customers use these reviews to describe their experience with White Symphony, including flavor, aroma, preparation preferences, strength, and how the tea fits into daily routines. Browse the full review history page by page to compare tasting notes, steeping tips, and favorite ways to enjoy this tea.
I received a sample of this tea in my CommuniTEA box. It was a bit too light for my taste, just very little flavor. This would be good for those looking for a relaxing afternoon sip.
This is a nice tea and very enjoyable. I agree that it’s best brewed at 180 for 2-3 minutes. It’s very light and just a little bit grassy.
Light and delicate tea with soft floral notes. This one is also very pleasant iced!
March ‘24: this time I have to say I tasted nothing. No flavor very slight fragrance. Steeped four min to try to get something more out of it. Not for me.
very, VERY subtle white tea. slight cucumber/melon fragrance but (I think my palate may be underdeveloped) almost no taste. I dont have a teapot that lets me control the temperature of the water so maybe it really needs that lower temp.
Maybe I am doing something wrong but I did not taste anything. Brewed at 175 for 3 min. Any advice?
When I opened my CommuniTEA packet, I was met with light grassy aromas with a hint of floral notes. I steeped the tea for 3 minutes and it produced a lovely yellow cup of tea. The flavor is delicate, but this makes a smooth cup of tea that has faint notes of melon.
Light and subtle, evolves over time from slight florals to hints of sweetness. A nice tea for a few moments of quiet reflection.
Somewhat light, which I normally don’t prefer but the floral notes are absolutely delicious here. Definitely one of my favorites so far
I am a big fan of white teas and this is no exception. I think it's the first plain white tea I have had (without fruit or flavoring) and I really enjoyed it. I may order some of this one.
Delicious!!! I enjoy most white teas as they are light and let flavors burst through.
A nice, light tea. Very delicate. Really like this one.
This tea is so delicate and delicious, it turned my breakfast this morning into a special occasion. I wish I had chosen a fancier cup! I added a swirl of honey before tasting - next time I will sip it straight to capture every nuance of flavor.
Just not feeling this tea. Okay taste. Tea had a slightly fragrant aroma.
A light tea and a super delicious tea. Enjoyable to the last drop!
Update: This year I will give it another go with this tea. A few sips in, no surprise, it is still delicate and plain, but I am not getting the grassiness. I can taste the hint of honeysuckle. Ok, that's much better. This tea has redeemed itself and gets another star.
Although I like white teas, I'm not quite sure if this one is my jam. I suspect it is better on ice, because ice can completely change the flavor profile. However, in the present moment in hot water it tastes like a cup of flower stems that have been in the vase a few days. It's light and grassy, just not what I'm looking for first cup of the day.
Beautiful, light tea that is a joy to sip. Initial steep was very light with slight floral notes and a hint of mineral flavor. The second steep had more light grassy flavor, a bit of floral, and less mineral notes. Overall, a very delightful sip!
This tea’s liquor is pale yellow. It has a pleasant herbal, and floral smell, It is light, delicate and refreshing. It has a floral taste. It has a vey slight astringency. It is very easy to drink. A delicious white tea. I think this tea would change the mind of green tea haters. I would buy and cherish it.
Think on letting go
Sipping contemplative tea
Luscious light liquor
Delicate and sweet
Perfect for meditation
Relax with each sip
(Haiku Review)
Light and sweet, but better with sweetener. Nice for a pre-meal treat, so as to not muddy the delicate flavors
This is a very special tea for people who enjoy white teas. The flavor profile is round and it is a great try for those of us who enjoy silver needles. This tea also got me onto the Peony and White Tea Balls.
Really light and refreshing, a very comforting cup of tea. I definitely recommend and will definitely buy again.
This has become my favorite everyday drinker. It is beautifully flavorful and not acidic. I can get 3 or 4 presses out of a batch. A must try for those of us that don't tolerate caffeine and love our cup of tea.
I am a huge fan of silver needle teas and drink many cups a day. This is right up there with the silver needle flavor profile.
I tried this as a substitute for Silver Needle, which is a bit pricey for my budget. It has the delicate liquor of Silver Needle, but it's no replacement. Though it was a decent blend, I'll probably bite the bullet and go for Silver Needle next time.
My immediate reaction after taking my first sip was, “Oh, that’s GOOD!” There’s a softly floral taste to it that I love.
I prefer gong fu style brewing so I used 5g, 200 degree water, 20 seconds +5 seconds for subsequent infusions. I liked White Symphony better than White Peony, but I have to say that these teas taste very green. Maybe they are from Zhenghe? Those teas are typically greener than Fuding. I appreciate the clear tea soup, but don't oversteep because it will get bitter.
UPDATE DECEMBER 2023: I'm sure these white teas are from a region outside Fuding, which can be preferable because those teas are getting to be overpriced. I will say that I have aged my tea in an airtight container with a humidity pack (65% RH) for a year and some intriguing and delicious changes. I've raised this tea by 1 star because with age.
For those who buy this as their first white tea:
BE PATIENT! It took me 4 or 5 cups before I started getting consistently good results, and longer until my attempts at re-steeping were also good.
Brewing white tea is like brewing green tea with higher stakes -- Did you add too many leaves? Death. Was your water too cool for brewing? Jail. Etc. Etc.
A few tips:
Wash your leaves! I know it sucks -- especially if you don't have a kettle with a temperature setting) to wait for a cup to cool down so you don't hurt your leaves, just to wash and have to wait another 5 minutes for a new cup to cool down, but it's worth it -- I promise!
Preheat your cup! This can be done alongside the 'washing your leaves' step, which is why that one comes first on this list. From what I have learned during my time in figuring out how to brew this tea, white teas are very sensitive to temperature. Too hot, and your tea will be bitter, undrinkable, and taste like leaves, but if it's too cold, your tea won't have the sweet notes of the brew and will have an absolutely awful mouth feel. It's important to remember that your cup, if you do NOT pre-heat it, will lower the temperature of your water, as the water doesn't just lose energy to the air, but the surrounding mug's material.
Don't use a volumetric measuring tool, like a measuring spoon! While most teas recommend 2-3g per 8oz serving, white teas are known to require more for a good brew: use approximately double that of a regular tea serving at 4-6g per 8oz. My personal preference is to go a little heavy on the dosage, so I can have a good and full-bodied re-steep.
Don't be afraid to try multiple steeps! Not only will it be a learning experience, figuring out how to brew the best cup of tea with these leaves, but if you're new to drinking white tea like me then you need to give yourself time to adapt and learn to appreciate the palette of white tea. As someone who came in, expecting something very similar to green tea, I almost gave up before I began enjoying the tea.
Finally: Don't add anything to the tea! White tea is known for its delicate and subtle flavor profile. I would avoid any type of additives like sugar, splenda, or honey, as they will completely cover up the intricacies of your white tea. White tea already has naturally sweet notes regardless, so it's unnecessary. I know it sounds dramatic, but I would genuinely say that it ruins the tea.
Update 10/6/2023: I dance with joy at the son of this music. This is one of my favorite white teas, is simply magnificent! It's light and sweet and just perfect.
This is a very gently flavored white tea. It's name suggests a harmonious blend of different tastes but this year, 2023, the main flavor that came through for me was a mild grassy one.
The dry tea had a tangy scent and was mossy green in color. Two grams of light and fluffy looking tea leaves spilled out of my CT packet and brewed into a pale gold liquor. Steeped 12 oz. at 180*F for 3 min. There was no bitterness detected just some light astringency. Unsweetened or sweetened the flavor was a bit vegetal much like a mellow green tea. The resteeps and chilled versions had a similar slightly grassy taste.
This mellow tea would be a nice one to blend with offering a light, soothing and pleasantly earthy flavor. My favorite ethereal white tea, though, remains White Peony.
Not a tea for my taste, but would be great for anyone who enjoys a delicate white with very light floral and grassy notes.
A nice, lightly floral white tea with a nectar finish.
I loved this tea. It has got to be one of my favorite white teas. It's delicate but at the same time very flavorful with its floral and honey like undertones. Delicious!
Way too grassy for me. I couldn’t get past the vegetal taste. CT 10/6/2023.
What a pleasant, very special cup of tea this is. The light, fruity, and sweet overtones were great. I added nothing to the little over 2 grams of tea in my gaiwan. I tried a second steep but it wasn’t as special as the first one.
Nothing is wrong with these tea. It's simply unremarkable
Such a lovely delicate white tea <3 I added cream and sugar, which I kinda regret as it muddied the flavor a little.
I did not care for this tea. Grassy and bitter. Not my choice
like many other white teas, this is no different in its delicate flavor. very nice and clean tasting
The tea is delicate and a bit grassy. I typically prefer more intense flavors, but it is a nice change of pace. I added a bit of sweetener.
I love trying new teas. Unfortunately, this was not a favorite. While I could drink this if offered, I didn't love the flavor.
A delicate, light white tea, perfect for an after dinner tea or a late evening one.
8 oz, 3 mins @ 180* F, sweetener and cucumber added and placed in fridge overnight to chill.
The cucumber suggestion was from Twyla and while I didn't try this tea before the cucumber - the cucumber is a nice touch. I very thinly sliced (see through) 3 slices to add to the tea while it was cooling in the fridge, then, once cool, removed them. This left a very strong cucumber taste with the taste of a white tea in a supporting role. Twyla kindly gifted me a sample of this tea for my birthday. So, I'll have the opportunity to try it w/o the cucumber in the near future. Thank you Twyla, for the gift and the suggestion!
A nice and delicate tea. It's not too floral and it's a little sweet.
Subtle, floral, sweet, light, overall a very pleasant cup. I don’t have much experience with white teas but I’ve very much enjoyed this one. Added a little bit of amber rock sugar for a bit of sweetness.
I was pleasantly surprised at how flavorful and sweet this white tea is!
the first white tea I've genuinely enjoyed. crazy what happens when you actually follow packet instructions lmao - Lynn + Fresh
Yum. Smooth and creamy. Slightly similar to silver needle. Would recommend for all.
Ehite Symphony is a bit like a dry, white wine. Light with a bit of grassiness and a hint of lemongrass. I also noted a bit of astringency. I brewed it at 180 for three minutes.
Five stars for this light and sweet cuppa this morning, I really enjoyed savoring this cup on a cool gray morning on my porch watching the day start.
I love this tea. It's so clean and soothing. It's light and delicate... just beautiful. It's such a treat. Steeped 3 min @ 175º.