Jan 03
Vanessa’s Teaview Snapshot
 | "This brew is mild and delicate; there are hints of chestnut, earthy, and grainy flavors, with an underlying very subtle floweriness. "
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I used to think that pearl-shaped tea was almost exclusively offered as Jasmine-infused tea, but I have recently sampled pearl-shaped tea that was a black tea variety, and today I sampled Teavana's white tea pearls, called Silver Yin Zhen pearls. This offering is Silver Needle tea that is "expertly hand-rolled into delicate downy white tea pearls". The pearls are on the smaller side, perhaps a quarter of an inch in diameter. The use of the term "downy" in Teavana's listing is certainly accurate- these tea pearls look soft and fluffly indeed. Various shades of green, spanning from a very pale green to a darker olive green are evident. The dry tea has a dull floral fragrance, and by dull I don't mean boring, but rather not that sharp or intense. During the infusion, the leaves open up slowly to reveal light-green, down-covered leaves. The brewed tea is a lovely pale yellowish color that has a fresh yet delicate aroma. The flavor is what I expect from a good Silver Needle. There are hints of chestnut, earthy, and grainy flavors, with an underlying, very subtle floweriness. This brew is mild and delicate, and the flavor does not linger in the mouth for very long. I would not recommend this to anyone in need of a serious wake-me-up drink, but then again white teas are generally not recognized as fitting that niche since they are reported to have lower caffeine levels than their darker-colored counterparts (although the truth of that statement is always up for debate). This tea seems good for lazy afternoon sipping, and because it is such a light-bodied brew, it lends itself to being consumed in larger volumes. A second infusion of the leaves is possible, but given that this is already such a faintly-flavored tea, a longer infusion time is necessary for the second steep. I don't think this was the single best Silver Needle I have had, but it was pretty tasty and a great example of this type of tea. The pearl shape adds to the attractiveness of this tea. This is a tea I would recommend to white tea lovers and to those looking to reduce caffeine-intake.
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