Tea Information:
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: Adagio Teas
Product Description:
White tea from China. Silver Needle is among the most revered of Chinese teas, produced in the Fuding and Zhenhe districts of its Fujian province. Gathered only for a few days in early spring, a dedication to perfection is evident in the pale, ivory colored liquor. The lingering fragrance is delicately honeysuckle floral, with a warmed sugar sweetness. Refreshing texture that is soft and airy on the palate. This is a special grade (‘Bai Hao’) version of this exquisite tea.
Taster’s Review:
I enjoy Silver Needle, but not as often as I’d like to. My favorite time to drink Silver Needle tea is after a meal, because it is very relaxing, and has a sweet taste that helps me forget about that desire for dessert.
This Silver Needle from Adagio’s Artisan Comfort Gourmet Tea Collection makes it possible for me to take Silver Needle with me where ever I go … even when I go out to eat. The handy-dandy pyramid-style tea bags are very roomy and provide plenty of room for the leaves to expand, thereby allowing the tea to achieve full flavor. I love the convenience of these Gourmet Tea Collections from Adagio.
This Silver Needle is delicately grassy, with hints of honey-like sweetness and floral tones in the distance. The mouthfeel is light and silky. Even though I am drinking this as a hot tea, I can feel it cool my palate. This makes it the perfect choice after a spicy meal.
I’ve tried this Silver Needle a couple of times now, and this time, I discovered that this is an incredibly forgiving tea – I over-steeped this by several minutes (it steeped about twice as long as it should have!) and it was not bitter. I will say though, that the longer you steep it, the grassier it tastes. So, if you prefer your Silver Needle on the not-so-grassy side, don’t forget to set the timer the way I did! I didn’t mind the grassy undertones, so I didn’t find the over-steeped Silver Needle off-putting.
A very pleasant Silver Needle, and this is a great way to enjoy it where ever you might be!
Oriental Beauty from thepuriTea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: thepuriTea
Product Description:
Originally developed to mimic the fruity notes of Darjeeling Second Flush, Oriental Beauty has since become a tea that stands tall on its own merit. Also known as Eastern Beauty, Bai Hao Oolong and White-Tipped Oolong, Oriental Beauty is a dark oxidation oolong with wiry leaves and the occasional fuzzy tea bud. Woodsy, spicy dry aromas evolve into an enchantingly sweet copper-colored brew. Aromas of fruit, flowers, spice and wood carry through into the smooth, round, full flavor, which features notes of rose, plum and cedar. The aftertaste is accented with flavors of rosewater and cardamom, making it a great choice for pairing with Indian or Moroccan dishes. It’s also delicious on its own or paired with white chocolate and hazelnut truffles or cedar plank grilled kabobs of sweet potato and lamb.
Taster’s Review:
Reading the description of this tea as I sip it, I must say that the description is pretty spot-on. The aroma of the liquor is pleasantly spiced with deep wood tones. The flavor is sweet with distinctive wood-like notes and hints of flower and fruit. I can even taste the rose water and cardamom aftertaste.
As the seasons slowly begin to change from the heat of the summer to the cooler air of autumn, this tea seems to reflect this time of year. The lightly spiced taste reminds me of the warm flavors of fall, and the crisp floral notes and sweet fruit notes remind me of the beauty of summer as its final moments come to a close.
The sip begins with a wash of flavors that is sweet and warm. Toward mid-sip, I taste a just slightly sour note that accents the sweetness of this tea. Sweet flavors of roasted peach. A floral note and even a slight nutty flavor in the distance. Only a very faint astringency that I can detect, and only when I’m really focusing on it. A casual sip would miss it completely. No bitterness. Just sweet, warm comfort – Oriental Beauty style!
Silver Needle Bai Hao (Wu Yi Qu Hao) from In Nature
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: In Nature
Product Description:
Silver Needle Bai Hao white tea is possibly the most natural form of tea. It is only made from the buds, picked when they are at their most tender.
These sweet and tender leaves used to be exclusively for the Emperors and royalty of China, as they were so rare and exquisite. A real treat that is now available for the enjoyment of all tea lovers.
The tea brews to a pale yellow-green colour with fresh aroma similar to green tea with a crisp and fresh taste.
Taster’s Review:
This is sooooooo GOOD! So very good!
These long, slender leaves are of very high quality, evidenced by the fact that they’re covered in silvery-white, soft fuzz. The aroma of the dry leaf offers hints of fruit and floral notes – but with an airy quality to the scent as well. Sort of like the way the air would smell while walking through a fruit orchard (perhaps an apple orchard?) in bloom. The fragrance of the brewed tea is a bit softer, but it still smells fresh and crisp.
The flavor is sublime. It is a remarkably smooth and sweet taste. Very pure and clean! It has a light vegetative quality that is not exactly grassy, but not exactly vegetable either. I would describe it as somewhere in-between the two tastes. It is a remarkably light vegetative note, but I like the way it contributes to the refreshing taste of this tea.
One of the best silver needle teas I’ve encountered in a very long time. If you’re a fan of silver needle teas – I suggest putting this one on your must try list!
Floral Oolong (Dong Fang Mei Ren) from In Nature
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: In Nature
Product Description:
Dong Fang Mei Ren translates as ‘Eastern Beauty’ and is also known by the alternative name of Bai Hao Oolong, known to make women even prettier.
A very mild oolong from the High Mountains of Taiwan. This tea has an elegant taste with a unique palate and colour, very pleasing to the eye and the mind.
Taster’s Review:
The dry leaf of this tea possesses a very unusual fragrance – unusual, but very pleasing. All at once I can smell notes of flower, wood and earth. A whisper of flower lingers in the air for several moments afterward. It is a delightful, transcendent experience. The aroma of the brewed liquor is significantly softer; however, I can still detect the faintest hint of what I experienced from the tea in dry leaf form.
These dark Oolong leaves remind me of a fancy Formosa Oolong, and after reading the description of the product (provided above) I see that the tea is indeed from Taiwan. The flavor is a bit different from the Formosa Oolong teas that I’ve sampled, though, it has a stronger floral presence which seems to replace some of the fuzzy peach tones that I am used to from a Formosa. Oh, yes, those peach notes are still discernible, they just aren’t as strong as I ordinarily would experience from a Formosa Oolong.
The floral tones are soft and sweet with a honey-esque tone in the background. There is also an earthy quality to this tea that melds quite nicely with the flowery tones – giving depth and complexity to the cup. The sip begins with the flowery note which remains throughout the sip, with the notes of earth and wood arriving about mid-sip. A note of fruity peach flavor peeks through. The sip ends with a delicious note of honey. No bitterness and only a slight astringency from this tea. The finish is sweet with a flowery taste that lingers long into the aftertaste.
A very pleasing Oolong experience. This is one I’d recommend to those who have a great appreciation for fine quality Oolong!
Bai Hao Oolong from TeaVert
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: TeaVert
Product Description:
Bai Hao is one of most renowned oolong teas and has natural fruity aromas with notes of peaches that produce a sweet and spring honey tasting bright-reddish orange tea liquor.
Taster’s Review:
This Oolong brews to a beautiful, bright amber color that is pleasantly fragrant. Smelling a little of flower and of fruit, with just a hint of smoke in the distance, this tea is begging me to take a sip!
The sip begins with a bright introduction of peach-like flavor with very subtle floral notes weaving throughout. About mid-sip, the palate is enveloped with a smooth sweetness that is honey-like in flavor. It is about this time that I notice that the light yet silky mouthfeel.
I don’t notice a tremendous amount of astringency with this cup, however, I do notice enough to mention it. It seems to softly polish the palate. The aftertaste is sweet with a savory whisper of tangy/sour taste.
A delightfully complex Oolong! I love this!