I decided to try this tea to see if it really offers a different experience from that of regular silver needle. I was a little skeptical, but yes this tea is indeed different and you know what? I really like it.
The dry leaves are tightly rolled into beautiful pearls. Each pearl is slightly covered with small silver hairs. The pearls give a mellow earthy aroma.
I prepared this tea using a gaiwan and following Teavana’s suggested water temp (175F) and steep time (4-5 min).
The resulting brew gave me a brown-yellow cup with a faint earthy smell. This tea definitely has a stronger flavor than regular silver needle. This bolder flavor is complimented with a sweet earthy hint. I re-brewed this tea at least 3 times with no change in taste.
The unfurled pearls revealed a set of brown needles with lots of “dust” and small leaf pieces.
Overall, I really enjoyed this tea. It was a different take on the traditional silver needle and really appreciated the earthy undertones and stronger flavor this tea gives.
