Today was the day that I finally decided I would go through my many teas that I have received from Sipsby. If you aren’t familiar with Sipsby, I encourage you to take a moment and check out their service. For $15 a month, you are sent a curated box of teas from a variety of tea companies based on your flavor profile. Each month the teas vary and I’ve discovered and rediscovered tea companies that I adore.
Silver Needle has always been a favorite of mine and as soon as I saw the Silver Needle from Teabook in my stash, I knew today was the day for this tea.
I brewed this tea with water at 180F and infused in my Wall Infuser Mug, the perfect combo!
After I allowed the water to cool for a moment and I instantly picked up notes of fresh stone fruits like peaches and a delightful contrast of hay. Each sip is as satisfying as the last- I really enjoy the two flavors playing off each other and after having a cold for a few weeks now, I’m glad I can taste both flavors.
This tea maybe simple but the flavors are spot on and quite enjoyable, just what my afternoon needed.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: Teabook
Description
This tea does not appear to be on the website but click below for teas that are.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Kenya Silver Needle White Tea from What-Cha. . . .
Time and time again I have shared my preference against white teas, specifically bai mu dan and shou mei teas. I don’t like the floral notes nor the soapy quality they can often have. If I am going to have a white tea, I tend to reach for either a White Rhino because it tends to be more robust like a black tea, or a Silver Needle.
I also have now tried a few What-Cha teas and been pleased with all of them.That is why when I came across this What-Cha Kenya Silver Needle White Tea, I had to give it a try.
Following the recommended steeping parameters, I brewed this for 2 minutes at 175 degrees. I was left with a pale and translucent liquid, typical of a white tea.
This tea boasts sweet notes of corn and it delivers, despite the packaging suggesting that this is best before June 2017. It’s so simple and yet so good. Flavorful without being in your face which means it is a tea that can be reached for again and again without becoming tired or boring.
I don’t reach for white teas often, especially straight white teas but when I come across Silver Needles like this, I am reminded that they can make a pleasant alternative to all the dessert and fruity teas I usually drink.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: White Tea
Where to Buy: What-Cha
Description
A very sweet and smooth silver needle with notes of melon and sweetcorn without any traces of bitterness or astringency.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Nice Coconuts White Tea by Luhse
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: Luhse
Tea Description:
STORY:
Unbeknownst to most, Queen Song longs for the day when she meets her island mate, King Kong. She has recently taken up hula dancing to keep fit and has begun wearing sexy, eye-catching outfits to attract attention. Despite the gang’s misgivings, she can be found wearing risque coconut bras when she is not at work.
TEA DESCRIPTION:
Coconuts have migrated into your cup of tea.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Another Luhse sample from my recent order. Nice Coconuts is a white blend, flavoured with coconut. The dry leaf smells amazing – strongly of coconut, with an undertone of creaminess, and a hint of something almost rum-like. Alcoholic, at the very least. The dry leaf looks to be a mixture of silver needles, which are white and downy, and white peony, which is blackish-brown in appearance and not particularly fresh looking. There’s a predominance of broken leaves and twigs. Scattered throughout are red safflower and blue cornflower petals, and a smattering of dried coconut shreds. There’s enough leaf in the pouch for about two cups, although if your cup is larger than average you might want to use the whole sample (about 3 tsp), as per the recommended parameters. My cup is on the smaller side, so I went with 1.5tsp of leaf, and gave it 2 minutes in water cooled to around 175 degrees. The resulting liquor is a medium yellow-green; the scent mildly coconutty with a floral undertone.
To taste, this one is deceptive! I wasn’t convinced at all by the scent of the brewed liquor, but it’s actually very pleasant. The initial sip is all coconut cream; sweet, tropical amazingness! It has remarkable depth of flavour, with just a hint of rum rolling around the mid-sip, and an almost thick mouthfeel. It’s like a decadent dessert – rum babas, maybe, with a side of coconut ice cream. It’s possible to taste a little of the white tea towards the end of the sip, although it’s by no means prominent. Just an edge of floral, hay-like sweetness. Mostly, the white tea seems to contribute most towards the mouthfeel, and doesn’t at all overpower the sometimes-delicate flavour of coconut. This really is a delicious, summery cup. I’m impressed with this blend, and it’s definitely one I’d consider repurchasing in the future.
Silky Silver Needle from Teasenz
Tea Type:
White Tea
Where To Buy:
Teasenz
Product Description:
Enjoyed exclusively by the imperial family in China for centuries, the Silky Silver Needle is a top-grade white tea with a soft, smooth, and silky-sweet taste experience. An ethereal cup with a lingering fragrance and refreshing aftertaste. Pure and refreshing.How is Pekoe Silver Needle produced?
The tea leaves for making Pekoe Silver Needle are gathered only for a few days in early spring. Teas cannot be picked on rainy days or early morning when there is still dew on the leaves; leaves which have experienced any kind of damage are discarded. Only the finest, healthiest tea buds are picked. White teas differed from green teas in that their processing did not incorporate any steaming or pan-firing. The teas were simply allowed to wither dry, thus the tea leaves are preserved most close to their natural state.
How to steep Pekoe Silver Needle?
To fully appreciate the exquisite shapes of this tea, using a clear glass is strongly suggested. Warm the glass first with boiling water and then pour 200 ml of water (80 degree) over around 3 grams of tea. The tea leaves will start to float on top of the glass. After 5 minutes, some leaves will sink down to the bottom of the glass while others remain at the top. All tea leaves will then stand up vertically performing a magical dance – An enchanting sight to enjoy before drinking the tea.
Which region is Pekoe Silver Needle from?
Our Pekoe Silver Needle is from Fuding. Different from the Zhenghe Silver Needle, the Fuding Silver Needle is famous for the tea’s thick layer of white coat, resulting in a clean, fragrant, and refreshing taste experience.
I have to say LEARNING about Silky Silver Needle from Teasenz was just as fun as tasting it! This is incredibly clean, thirst quenching, sweet, juicy, pure, and delicious! I enjoy this both hot and cold. It’s hard to over infuse which is always a plus. It doesn’t turn to bitter even if over infused. I can envision myself even using this in cooking – in soups or rice or even with noodles. This is a very good Silver Needle!
Organic Silver Needle from Art of Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: Art of Tea
Tea Description:
Organic Silver needle is the most sought after white tea and is only harvested for a few days each year in the northern district of Fujian, China. This magnificent tea has a light golden flush with a unique savory aroma and a woodsy body. The finish is pleasant with a lingering, yet balanced sweetness.
Water Temperature: 175-185 F degrees
Caffeine Content: Medium
Steep Time: 1-3 minutes
Suggested Serving Size: 1 Tbsp/8oz
Ingredients: Organic, Fair Trade Chinese White Tea
Origin: Fujian, China
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Organic Silver Needle from Art of Tea surprised me! I am not a huge fan of white teas. Well I suppose a more accurate statement would be that there are few white teas I have found that really wow me. I have found a few though! This white tea sort of wow’d me, it more so surprised me, confused me a little, and has made me want to drink a lot more of it to really understand it. Why all the confusion you may ask? Well to begin with the dry leaf is stunning, white, downey, soft, cuddly, lol yes, cuddly. It makes me wish I could buy enough to just pour all over my bed and lay upon it at night. Its so dreamy! But that is not what got me. What “got” me, is that the initial aroma of this tea is of cucumber! And that is exactly what it tastes like to me as well. Fresh, watery, cucumber! Yet, wait for it, its not watery at all! Its rather quite creamy! Creamy, fresh, mouthwatering cucumber!
It is also quite sweet on the palate. A warm natural sweetness that does not so much coat the mouth with a cloying sappy sugar but one that is sweet and creamy like a condensed milk. So what we have here, is a sweet, creamy, cucumber, tea. Strange I think. Usually I get a totally different flavor profile from Silver Needle!
I had this before bedtime, and I could not stop thinking about it as I fell asleep. I woke up this morning to my spent leaves, as I had several steepings, and just wanted to wake up enough to make another cup, have another session with this perplexing tea. I am not sure quite yet how I feel about it exactly. I need to overcome my pre-conceived notions of what this was “supposed” to taste like and just enjoy it for its unusual and wonderful nature unto itself. On the other hand I am craving it like crazy! A huge thank you to my Steepster friend for sending me this tea! My views may be changing on white teas, I may need to explore them with more abandon!
I am not going to say this is my all time favorite white tea, as it is so unusual, but it is one that I would like to have in my stash! I can’t wait to try this cold brewed although I don’t know if I would appreciate a milky, creamy, cucumber tea, cold. Yet I have plenty to play with so I will give it a try. Cucumber to me says summer, yet creamy and milky are more reserved for cooler months. Maybe I am just too narrow minded. Its just such an unusual flavor profile to me.
Time to make that other cup I was talking about … discovery ongoing….
