Silver Needle
The adage, "You got to know the rules in order to break the rules" applies to tea as much as any other creative endeavor. Conventionalists will argue about tradition and keeping things as is, but in reality the tea industry is ever evolving. True, there are some teas which will be hard to replicate elsewhere, largely due to terroir and process, but we are now seeing more and more great teas being mimicked and improved on outside of their traditional growing areas.
This Bai Hao Silver Needle is just that. Grown far away from the traditional areas of northern Fujian, this tea capitalizes on the qualities of its now well-known Yunnan counterpart, creating a tea that holds you tight and won't let go. Notes of yam, Lady Hillingdon rose and horse blanket blossom in the first cup and slowly deepen in each preceding steep.
Teamaker - Mr. Wei
Location - Xilin, Baise, Guangxi Autonomous Region
Harvest Time - Late March 2022
Cultivar - Xiao Bai
BREWING INSTRUCTIONS
- Gong Fu - This tea works great in both porcelain and semi porous vessels. Since it is only tea buds and doesn't pack well, we recommend filling a third to half of the vessel with dry leaf.
- Western - Use 1 heaping teaspoon per 8 oz of water. Add 212F water and steep for 4-6 minutes. Can be re-steeped a second time, adding 2-3 minutes to the original steep time.