It turns out that one of the other attorneys at my new job is also a tea junkie. She suggested that I may be "overcooking" my white teas, which is why I am finding them flavorless.
So I went back to the White Peach and White Blueberry from Adagio I had sampled earlier in the month, and made sure to watch the water temperature very carefully. I realized that since I'd been making single cups of white tea for me, rather than pots of tea, I had let the water fully boil in the pot. Instead, I now cut off the water temperature at 185 degrees. It made a substantial difference.
Brewed at the proper temperature, the white tea had flavor and character. It still wasn't a strong flavor -- it was light and only softly flavored with peach or blueberry. But it wasn't the weak and feeble brew that I'd gotten by infusing the tea at 212 degrees, as I'd mistakenly been doing.
I'm still more of a fan of full-bodied flavors in tea. But brewing Adagio's White Teas properly has improved their flavor to the point where I'd buy them again for occasional drinking.
So here's your lesson: even a true tea geek can mess up a proper cup of tea by not paying attention. Take your time. It's worth doing right.
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