I’m delighted that Tea Journal opened a second store in the Sydney CBD because it means good tea and great cake is within reach without having to trek all the way to Chatswood. We first visited during its soft opening in mid-July when the store still smelled of freshly cut wood before its grand opening in early August.
This is the White Peony ($10.00/pot). The tea is a white tea from Meng Hai in China and so named because the tea was made from unopened tea buds and two newest leaves, which are said to resemble the petals of a peony blossom when steeped.
The tea is served to the customer already steeped. The infusion has a clear golden straw colour with the characteristic floral notes of white tea coming through at the head of each sip with a gentle sweetness developing with a full-bodied, rounded mouthfeel in the body that’s followed by a gentle and clean finish. Subsequent infusions (pot refills are free) have a more marked astringency with the floral notes fading into the background. Overall, the tea was refreshing with a fuller flavour than the incredibly refined and delicate notes of a silver needle white tea.
Tea Journal is located at Ground Floor, 382 Sussex Street, Haymarket NSW 2000.