"There is no bitterness at all to this tea. It is full of flavors but requires patience to taste them." David_A’s Teaview: 9/10 Other Teaviews: Babette gave it 10/10 Your Reviews: Add your review »

Background:
I have been waiting with anticipation to try TeaGschwender’s teas. The company was a large participant in the Tea World Championships
where they scored very strong with 27 different teas. I have heard other anecdotal evidence as well. And lastly, there website shows a large selection of teas in my favorite categories: white, red, and herbal teas.

Yin Zhen is classic white Silver Needle tea. In the package you can clearly see the tealeaves are still long and wrapped into a needle shape. There is a light white downy covering to some of the needles. The color of the leaf dry is translucent white over a greenish base. The website photograph appears more white and grey then the sample which is clearly greener.

The smell is very distinct which I would characterize as vegetativeand I sense hints of chocolate.

Brewing:
Water temperature no hotter than 190 degrees and steeped the tea two and a half minutes.

Taste/Impressions:
The brew comes out a very clear white, yellow color. The aroma is clear and very noticeable. The woody, vegetative characteristics are still present but at this point I am not catching hints of chocolate any more. The flavor is very special. It is light and airy. Make no mistake about it this is a light delicate tea. To get the very best flavor care must be taken in the preparation stage to control the water temperature and the steeping time. If you do that you will be rewarded with a very superb cup of tea. Since the tea leaves are picked so early and there is such minimal processing the flavor is subdued and delicate.

There is no bitterness at all to this tea. It is full of flavors but requires patience to taste them. For instance, after swallowing I find the taste of the tea comes alive a second time across the tongue and roof of the mouth. This is an unflavored white that turns out to
have as much flavor than many flavored whites. Also, some flavored whites seem to have a bitter component to them, which this tea wholly lacks. The bitterness is likely due to less careful brewing but not always.

Conclusion:
This is the best silver needle tea that I have tried to date. Brew
this up just right and you will be rewarded with a superb white tea
that will not disappoint in any regard. A highly prized and fully
noteworthy tea that I highly recommend.

— To purchase TeaGschwender China Yin Zhen Silver Needles, 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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