I just drank Adagio’s plain Silver Needle so that I could compare it to this flavored version. The leaves are thinner, curlier, and darker than the Silver Needle. There’s also more twigs. I’m kind of surprised. I wouldn’t expect the addition of the jasmine to warp the leaves so much.
But moving on to the taste. This is a much better experience than my first one with this tea a couple days ago. The jasmine is much lighter than I remember. This tea is floral and sweet. I definitely can’t say it’s the best jasmine tea I’ve ever had. That would be Lupicia’s Jasmin Mandarin, a Chinese green tea. I’ve also had better jasmine tea than this at a local Thai restaurant.
Still, it’s not bad by any means. I’m not getting much in the way of the Silver Needle though. That doesn’t come through until the second infusion. The jasmine overpowers it too much in the first cup. The astringency also makes itself apparent on the first cup, instead of the third in the plain Silver Needle. That’s probably the most disappointing aspect of this tea. Though there’s not a trace of bitterness.
Overall, good, not great. I probably won’t place an order once the sample runs out. In fact, this really just makes me want to buy Lupicia’s Jasmin Mandarin!
First steep at 180 degrees for 5 minutes. Second at 175 degrees for 7 ½ minutes. Middle of the road rating from me.
