Jasmine Silver Needle

Tea of the afternoon…… (SRP #29)

Yes, more jasmine tea. I even had a pot of the jasmine flavored black from Dragon Tea House this morning….. After this cup, I am trying TeaVivre’s Jasmine Silver Needle for comparison. I have definitely come to the conclusion that jasmine and Earl Grey teas are warmer weather choices for me. I am even kicking around the possible purchase of thepuriTea’s Jasmine Golden Yunnan….maybe for my birthday? (This is not a bad idea as it gives me a few months to sort out what I really want.) I seem to like jasmine blacks the best, followed by white, then green. I really need to drink up some of my Jasmine Dragon Pearls, too.

As for this tea. I did not want to like it (as I am trying to simplify and minimize the number of places I feel the need to shop for tea), but it is truly delightful. I like how thepuriTea’s jasmine flavors are sweet floral rather than perfumy foral. The base tea is light and kind of reminds me of hay, and then the touch of jasmine makes it sweet and wonderful. It also has a feel of substance when in the mouth. I am drinking this one without additions, and it is so good. I still can’t quite escape adding sweet to my black teas, but this is stellar without additions. I am a little shocked at the price for 4 oz ($29), but I imagine 4 oz of this tea is quite a volume as it is pretty fluffy. I am seriously considering this, even though I am trying to drastically curtail tea acquisitions at this point.

Mug method about 170 water for 2 minutes. No additions.

Well Steepster seems to be back up so I can backlog this one. Sipdown, 179.

This is an old sample but it also has been heat-sealed in an airtight foil-lined pouch so I don’t feel like it would have degraded that much. I have to say that the smell of the leaf was less sweet jasmine and more bitter jasmine, like what happens if you cold steep a jasmine tea too long. Sometimes I just want to bury my nose in the dry leaf of a jasmine tea and be enveloped in the aroma; this was not one of those teas.

However upon steeping it really mellowed out. The jasmine was obviously the main event here but it was soft and slightly sweet. I think this tea made me realize that silver needles are not my favorite vehicle for jasmines; I think I prefer pearls or even just a fresh jasmine green. It’s those hayish, brothy notes really; at times this almost seemed savory, which is kind of odd in a jasmine.

All of that makes it sound like I didn’t enjoy it, but I did. I had steeped up half the sample pouch, drank it, and then said heck with it I am going to steep up the second half and have another cup. It was pleasant and tasty, and it was a nice accompaniment to the afternoon.

Thanks LiberTEAs!

I have a few floaties in this after infusing but nothing too drastic, I suppose.

This is a nice Jasmine. Most of you know about my ups and downs and back and forths with Jasmines but this is a good one!

In addition to what you would expect from a Jasmine I can also pick up notes of green beans and plantains. I know these are totally random notes but that is what first came to mind…and they are VERY subtle notes at that!

Regardless…I’m glad this is more than just your average Jasmine! There’s more to it than just that – and – for that I am grateful!

I absolutely LOVE this Jasmine. It is soft, velvet-y perfection. Absolutely divine.

The silver needle has a delicate flavor, of course, and I think that it pairs perfectly with the delicate sweetness of the jasmine. The flavor is sweet, floral and possesses mere whispers of a grassy-like taste. I LOVE this!

Nice tea.

My first steep was sweet and silky. Each additionally steeping has been less sweet and less silky, but still yummy.

Good tea!

Mmm this is my first Jasmine Silver Needle, I was afraid to try because I thought the jasmine would over power the silver needle but both go together very well. But I am still head over heels in love with their Milk Oolong.