Silver Needle

Tea type
White Tea
Ingredients
Not available
Flavors
Bitter, Cedar, Floral, Jasmine, Sweet, Toast, Honeysuckle, Straw, Cream, Hay, Honey, Chestnut, Citrusy, Cut Grass, Earth, Autumn Leaf Pile, Corn Husk, Grass
Sold in
Bulk, Loose Leaf
Caffeine
Not available
Certification
Not available
Edit tea info Last updated by Jane Quigley
Average preparation
175 °F / 79 °C 3 min, 45 sec 13 oz / 379 ml

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59 Tasting Notes View all

From Teavana

Also known as Yin Zhen, this well guarded secret of Chinese emperors is a rare delicacy for a Western table. The most tender white downy tea buds are harvested only two days out of each year using the centuries old techniques of Imperial Gathering. This exceptional tea was reserved for the Chinese imperial family until just a few decades ago when it became available to the general public. Famous for its subtle taste, pale infusion, and extraordinary purity.

About Teavana View company

Company description not available.

59 Tasting Notes

85
72 tasting notes

Nice light grassy taste with subtle nutty undertones; very subtle. Very enjoyable.

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80
33 tasting notes

Question: does anyone know how to mark this tea as “available”? It definitely is.

My review:
This is a wonderfully delicate tea in flavor. Gentle and refined. Not one to drink if you’re looking to be smacked in the mouth with flavor.

In the cup, it comes out a light, slightly orange-ish tan color. The first aroma I get is floral. I’d say Jasmine, but I’m not much of a flower guy. A soft, pleasing scent. A definite sweetness: apricots and honey. There’s a slight taste of straw/hay as well. And a light creaminess, a splash of dairy, in the flavor. Although the texture is not creamy, simply pure like spring water. After a bit more steeping, a bright somewhat acidic note starts to emerge, like the feel of citrus, but not actually citrus flavor.

I’d say this is perfect for drinking on a mid-Spring morning. It goes with sitting back as warm, gentle breezes carry the smell of growing things to you.

It’s also great for blending. I tried it with Sencha, and it added a nice softness to the flavor.

Although undoubtedly overpriced, if you’re looking for a white tea, it’s not a bad choice.

Flavors: Cream, Floral, Hay, Honey

Preparation
180 °F / 82 °C 3 min, 30 sec

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111 tasting notes

An old favorite, one of the first loose-leaf teas I ever purchased. It’s still delicious—creamy and subtle, with faint notes of sweet grass. (I should mention that it’s not vegetal like Teavana’s Silver Yin Zhen Pearls, and not as sweet. Which I prefer!) This tea is so soothing, like a warm bath… Especially on a night like this, when I’m not feeling so great. I’ll keep steeping cup after cup, for as long as the leaves last.

Incidentally, I’m almost out of this tea, but I don’t plan to restock. I’m looking to expand my horizons. Time to try more Silver Needle from other companies!

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83
61 tasting notes

So… Long time no tea….^_^. It has been some time since I have been on here and for good reason. I have been dealing with my life in a way that I never thought I would have to, and after dealing with my demons and my divorce I have found time in my life to find someone my way back. This tea gets a bad rep, but rather think it’s breath of fresh air.

Flavors: Chestnut, Citrusy, Cut Grass, Earth

Preparation
185 °F / 85 °C 1 min, 45 sec 1 tsp 8 OZ / 236 ML

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70
5 tasting notes

Very light. Tastes like a mix of black and green teas. You have to really stick to the rules for amount & temperature & steeping time or it’ll taste off. Much more sophisticated than I am.

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95
2 tasting notes

Relaxed this evening with the husband drinking a pot of one of my all time favorites, Silver Needle. I generally drink this tea without mixing it (as I am completely drawn to its delicate flavors of honey and grassy notes) however, tonight I mixed it with a little Peach Tranquillity. It was a nice mix, but I felt that the peach over powered the flavors that I enjoy savoring in the Silver Needle. I think I will stick to steeping it alone …

Preparation
180 °F / 82 °C 5 min, 0 sec 4 tsp 32 OZ / 940 ML

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25
33 tasting notes

Pretty sure I got an old batch, next time I go into a teavana I’ll try to exchange it per their policy. This was my first silver needle ever, so at first I just followed their instructions.

What I got was a cup of barnyard hay and wet straw, kind of like walking through the farm animal exhibits at a county fair, not really much else. For the price of 2oz I could have bought an entire bale of straw from a local farmer and made 50-gallon drums of this stuff. Perplexed, I thought “hmm, maybe there’s some trick to this” and scoured the internet for more info. At first, I thought I was being a dufus and overbrewing it, but trying much shorter infusions, different temperatures from 100-190F (even went nozomi gyokuro style and tried room temp water once for 15 mins), nothing but hay and straw. So I figured, “hmmm.. guess I just don’t like white tea..”

Then I had some good fresh whites from a few other sources and voila! I love whites!

So long story short, based on all the other positive reviews I’m reading here and now that I know what to look for, I’m pretty sure I got an old batch and need to go back to switch out what I have. Until I do though, this is getting an appropriate rating.

Flavors: Autumn Leaf Pile, Corn Husk, Grass

Preparation
160 °F / 71 °C 5 min, 0 sec 4 tsp 10 OZ / 300 ML

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71
8 tasting notes

Very clean taste. For me, I like it a bit stronger so I find myself adding more tea when I brew.

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89
2 tasting notes
Silver Needle from Teavana is the first flush/first leaf. The best. It is wonderful alone and perfect to pair. I add it to any tea I want to tone down or to add hydration and detox to.
Preparation
175 °F / 79 °C 2 min, 30 sec

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96
9 tasting notes

Indescribable, you just have to taste it for yourself.. Reminds me of spring.

Preparation
175 °F / 79 °C 4 min, 0 sec

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