Dec 05
Review: California Tea House Silver Needle
Bai Hao Tea, California Tea House, White Tea Add commentsDan’s Teaview Snapshot
 | "I'm quite a fan of silver needle teas, and have had my fair share of them. They rarely stand out from the rest of their kind, but this one seems leaps and bounds ahead of the pack. "
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8.9/10
I once read from a competitor tea company that if you munch on a few dried leaves of silver needle tea, a sweet emission of flavor indicates a superior tea, as opposed to most silver needles which are bitter when tasting the dried leaf. I may be paraphrasing to the extreme, but this is what I gleaned. That said, I don't necessarily believe all that hoo-ha, but I still find it a fun practice each time I break into an unexplored batch of silver needle. With this very-specific type of tea, the differences between offerings can be slight, if undetectable. The dry-chew verdict on California Tea House's offering? Neither sweet nor bitter (though perhaps just a touch), and with a mild hint of spiciness (which I have encountered on more-than-one past munching). Rather a savory flavor. But it's the "broth" that matters, so let's get down to it.CTH offers few teas in general - their "quality, not quantity" policy is one that ranks them at the top of my list of favorite tea companies at the moment. They claim to harvest only the best of the best for their Silver Needle, and I can't say I can argue that. The buds are pillowy with scores of white hairs, indicative of the highest quality silver needle teas. One thing that immediately sets this tea apart from the glut of silver needle teas on the market is its "raw" appearance. Amidst the downy buds are also flakes of white tea leaves. An incredibly scant amount, but still enough to make you say "whoa... what's going on here"? Perhaps purists may argue that this detracts from the true spirit of a silver needle. I find it bold, daring, and exciting, myself. It somehow makes a statement to me. The scent of the leaves is quite powerful for such a renowned delicate tea. And my intrigue grows.
A first infusion of 3/5 minutes with water about 180-degrees produced a cup that can best be described as "cozy". Imagine if you will, you are shrouded in the softest blanket imaginable; place yourself in front of a warm fireplace on a winter's night; you are stroking the softest, whitest, fluffiest cat known to mankind. Put this scenario into liquid form, and that's what you get here. An almost-indescribable fluffy softness, smoothness, and ultra-comfort. I've gotten to know white teas before, and plenty of silver needles, but none have been so evocative of such a comfort, smoothness, softness... this is luxury in a cup! A second munching on some dried leaves enhances things further, and I highly recommend this practice mid-cup.
A second cup, steeped for slightly less time, is just as soft and gentle, but perhaps a bit light on flavor. For a third steeping, I went for a full eight minutes -- by accident. I actually did this TWICE by mistake, which is bizarre. The good news though is that it really doesn't have an adverse effect. Most likely due to the fact it is the third steeping. The effect at first is that the tea is slightly overdone, but by mid cup, it's not really noticeable and the cup is still very pleasant and smooth. nonetheless, I recommend infusion times under 5 minutes.
I'm quite a fan of silver needle teas, and have had my fair share of them. They rarely stand out from the rest of their kind, but this one seems leaps and bounds ahead of the pack.
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