Sweet florals, citrus, and stone fruit qualities on the nose introduce a thick, syrupy cup with a floral-like sweetness and flavors of vanilla, peach, and guava.

Silver Needle is a type of white tea made with only buds. White tea production typically involves two steps: withering and drying. Due to the nature of this minimal processing, white tea showcases the varietal and terroir more than any other tea type. Harvested in March 2022, this particular lot from Jinggu is made from the Yang Ta varietal, and it presents lovely notes of vanilla, citrus, and stone fruit.

Silver Needle, also known as “Bai Hao Yin Zhen,” which literally translates to “White Down Silver Needles,” is a type of white tea that is made with only buds. The “white down” refers to the fine silver hairs that cover the buds. Historically, white tea production began in the late 18th century during the Qing Dynasty. The earliest records of Silver Needle production date back to the 1800's. It is thought that the tea was harvested from the buds of wild tea bushes and produced exclusively for the emperor.

White tea production is the most minimally processed tea type as it involves just a few steps: withering, drying, and sorting. Traditionally, tea leaves are withered and dried in the sun, but inclement weather conditions may require that the tea leaves be dried indoors. Due to their nominal processing, white teas primarily showcase the varietal and terroir more than any other tea type. However, the simplicity of white tea production does not mean that the process is easy. Tea producers must continuously assess the weather conditions and the readiness of the bud. If they wait even one extra day, the bud may sprout into leaves, and the quality of the Silver Needle will be compromised.

This lot of Silver Needles comes from Jinggu county in Yunnan province. It is made with the buds of the large leaves of the Camellia taliensis plant, and it was harvested in March 2022. It presents lovely notes of vanilla, citrus, and stone fruit.