Tea Information:
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: Lochan Tea Limited
Tea Description:
This second flush Doke Silver Needle White Tea shows how this family run garden is constantly innovating (Chinese Silver Needles are only harvested once per year). Like most Second Flush pickings, these leaves are loose and slightly darker yet here this simply concentrates the delicious white tea flavors – a truly extraordinary Silver Needle tea. Only the freshest tender young buds, covered in a delicate soft white down, are selected and brew to produce a clean and smooth liquor that’s simply bursting with fresh white tea flavor. Large, downy needles produce a sweet and creamy, full-bodied golden liquor with notes of peach blossom and dried apricot. This is a unique selection from a little-known origin.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
It’s been a while since I’ve had a silver needle tea, and this one is unique because it’s not a Chinese Silver Needle, this one is from India. I find that Doke Silver Needle teas tend to have a stronger flavor than the very delicate flavor of a Chinese Silver Needle. I appreciate both for their unique qualities, but since I’m reviewing the Doke at the moment, I think I’ll just say that I really like the well defined flavor of this Silver Needle tea!
It has a very sweet, refreshing taste. It’s very soothing to sip. I taste notes of dew and melon and a peach-like flavor … but sweeter. I had trouble putting my finger on exactly how to describe that flavor until I read the above description and saw “dried apricot” and then I realized … yeah, that’s it! It has the almost-sugary sweetness of dried fruit, and it does indeed have a dried apricot-like flavor.
The texture is soft. The taste is very smooth from start to finish. No bitterness and very little astringency (as in I am having a hard time discerning any astringency here at all.) I keep going back to the word “sweet” but that is the word that keeps coming to mind with every sip. It’s deliciously sweet. My mouth waters from the sweetness.
It’s a very lovely cup of tea. I like that this isn’t exceptionally delicate in flavor, the flavors here stand out. It’s a very flavorful cuppa!
