Review: Teavana Silver Yin Zhen Pearls

Nov 27

Review: Teavana Silver Yin Zhen Pearls

Scott’s Teaview Snapshot

"A hand-rolled premium white tea that evolves in fragrance and tastes over several leaf steepings. An interesting cup of tea indeed."

Scott’s Teaview:	7.5/10
Other Teaviews:	Raven gave it 7.4/10, Vanessa gave it 7.5/10, Katie gave it 6.8/10
Your Reviews:	Add your review »

Well now, first review. To be fair, I will let you know that I cup my tea blind, meaning that I don't look at info (namely, price) until after I've tried it every which way to Sunday. First up for me is the Teavana Silver Yin Zhen Pearls. According to the Teavana website, the Silver Yin Zhen Pearls are premium white tea, the Silver Needle, hand-rolled into small balls. The recommended steeping is 4-5 minutes in 175 degree water, which is precisely what I've done. I've broken the review up into two parts: the first steeping and a second steeping of a teaspoon of the pearls.

Steep 1 (4 minutes) - Watching the tea steep was almost magical. As the water swirled around the little fragrant buds they slowly opened, like a flower, and gradually turned the crystal clear water to a very light shade of green. The aroma went from a very weak smell to a rich vegetal and slightly pungent smell. The tea itself was delicate. I wouldn't say weak as it is a white tea, but more of a delicate and gentle flavor. It was slightly grassy with a light sweetness, like a fruit or honey sweetness rather than sugar. Not a whole lot of complexity but it was tasty enough in its simplicity.

Steep 2 (4.5 minutes) - I wasn't sure how much I was going to be able to get out of the pearls but I managed to coax a second steeping out of them. The aroma went from vegetable to a more aromatic floral smell that was quite pleasant. The flavor itself was slightly less pronounced than the first steep but it took on different flavors. The second steep was fruitier, with faint hints of plum and a malt-like, roasted quality peeked through as well. I definitely liked the second cup better, as it was less veggie like but more of the sweetness that the website hinted at.

All that said, it was not a bad tea. It is a nice change of pace from the typical robust black teas I drink and it had several layers of flavor over a few steeps that makes it a worthwhile investment. It is not the most complex tea I've had but it is a pretty nice representation of a white tea.

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