Post-lunch tea:
Silver Needles (a white tea) from Narien Teas
Back on March 23 of last year, I reviewed my first white tea. I was not too fond of the unadulterated white tea at that point in my limited tea drinking experience. All that has changed.
Today I am drinking a white tea from Fujian province called Yin Zhen, often known as Silver Needles. This tea, according to the book Harney & Son’s Guide to Tea, is “widely considered the best white tea in the world.”
The tea is very subtle in flavor, with a hint of floral high notes such as jasmine. According to the book previously quoted, “Yin Zhen can sometimes begin tasting only of water. But it quickly blooms in the mouth to show a light sugar sweetness, dulled with gentle vegetal flavors of steamed bok choy. Some versions also have faint ‘heat’ notes, like toasted white bread.”
I feel my tea drinking has come full circle. I am now able to appreciate a fine quality white tea that before left me screaming, “What, this tastes of boiled water!”
Check out Narien Teas next time you are in need of quality tea.
2 comments
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February 15, 2009 at 11:55 pm
teaescapade
Love the ending quote… “What, this tastes of boiled water!” My first white tea was Harney and Sons Winter White Earl Grey. At that time, I really paid little attention to the complexity of tea. I bought it, steeped it, drank it. With no thought to water temperature, steeping time, flavor profile, etc. I now have a much greater appreciation for not only tea, but white tea as well. It is one of my favorites.
February 17, 2009 at 9:30 pm
Pat Canella
That will happen with a lot of white teas, in regards to tasting like water at first and then being very sugary sweet! I have some adagio white tea like this (I think they call them snowbuds) and I get the same result.