 | "The flavor was light and lacked any finish to speak of... a bit disappointing."
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Expectations are the double-edged sword that often sways my opinion of something new. If the subject is built up too much, it’ll be tough for it to live up the hype; on the other hand, if the subject has few expectations or even lowered expectations, the factor of surprise often comes into play. To say that the heavily lauded Silver Needle underwhelmed me would be an understatement.
As white teas go, Silver Needle or Bai Hao Yinzhen is both the most expensive variety of white tea and the most prized as only top buds are used to produce the tea. Now as a tea drinker, I really started with a cheap Bigelow White Tangerine and there I stood looking at the Holy Grail, the rarest and most prized of white teas (the variety saved for Chinese emperors).
Upon first infusion, everything about this tea seemed rather inconsequential. The aroma seemed almost negligible and the color, even after ten minutes of steeping time, remained a pale white, barely yellow color. The flavor was light and lacked any finish to speak of. With later brews, I decreased the temperature to 140F and increased the steep time even further but barely found much of a change in flavor.
I’ve heard wind that drinkers often find that their first cup of Bai Hao Yinzhen a bit disappointing and I’m certainly no exception. Perhaps my palette is not yet ready for it or perhaps it is not ready for me.
— To purchase Tea Zone Silver Needle Tea, or for more specific information on ingredients or the story behind this particular blend, click here to go directly to the manufacturer's web site.
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Jeff Teaviews.com Reviewer » Read more about this reviewer on Jeff's profile page. » Find a list of recent posts by Jeff. |
February 21st, 2008 at 3:57 pm
One of the best white teas I ever had.
My Rating:
10/10
February 22nd, 2008 at 4:24 am
It’s a must-buy tea!
My Rating:
10/10