Silver Needles – White Tea

Silver Needles – White Tea

Silver Needles – White Tea is one of the world’s finest, most celebrated, (and often most expensive) teas. 

Silver Needles is traditionally produced from the Baihao Yinzen tea cultivar in Fujian province, China. The Baihao Yinzen cultivar produces large buds covered in protective indumentum (fine leaf hairs that give the leaf a silvery appearance and a furry texture). The leaf hairs help to protect the closed bud from insect and weather damage. Once brewed the leaf hairs detach into the infusion and add a distinctive texture that is characteristic of this highly prized white tea.

During the premium harvest period the large apical buds are carefully harvested by hand from the top of each bush during a short picking season in early Spring and undergo minimal processing. The leaves are finely spread onto drying racks and left to wither and dry quickly to minimise the risk of oxidation. The result is a deliciously light, complex, and delicate infusion. 

The large leaves can be brewed ‘Western style’ in a teapot, or using the Chinese ‘Gong Fu’ method. The leaves can be re-infused multiple times.