Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: Teahouse Kuan Yin
Product Description:
Silver Needle is the rarest and most prized of white teas. It is comprised of only the downy tea buds before they open, so that they resemble soft white needles. Its flavor is extremely fresh, because so little processing takes place in Silver Needle production. The leaves are very lightly oxidized, and undergo no frying or rolling process. Our Silver Needle is IMO-certified organic.
Taster’s Review:
I love the light, crisp taste of this Silver Needle!
Generally speaking, most white teas possess a delicate flavor, however, this seems to be even more delicate than most of the white teas I’ve tasted in the past.
The flavor is somewhat floral – like a mist-covered, flowery meadow lies somewhere in the horizon, but, not easily seen. It whispers of its presence to the palate. There is also a hint of a leafy flavor: not quite vegetable, and not quite grassy, but somewhere in between, and ever so faint.
This is such a pleasant, sweet tea. Very relaxing and meditative. These needles can be resteeped several times with no loss in flavor, so I encourage you to take full advantage of the unique and rewarding taste that awaits you! I brewed this tea in my gaiwan, using a little extra leaf and steeping for a very short time. By steeping this way, I find that I really get the most flavor and enjoyment out of the tea… even the steeping process becomes a restorative exercise!
A lovely tea, indeed.