Silver Needle (glittery and shimmering)

I like tasting stuff. I've written posts on whisky, brandy and wine so far, and I'm about to broaden my horizon to tea. Why tea? Well, why not? Drinking tea is just as pleasant as drinking alcohol, and probably far healthier. Especially when I've got several interesting ones to try. I might even be able to make this into a series of posts.

We'll start off with Silver Needle. I found a bag of this in a Whittard of Chelsea shop. It was on clearance sale. Despite the fact that the tea was probably about a year old, the resulting brew was delicious, pleasant and refreshing. Since then, Whittard have discontinued selling this, so I count myself lucky to have found it. It looks like Zhenhe Silver Needle, as I found on Wikipedia (see adjacent image).

Silver Needle
White tea
China (Fujian province)
Pale silvery yellow

Preparation: Boiling water with a large pinch of tea gives the best results. Rewards up to 3 steepings before losing flavour. Second steeping is the best.
Nose: Fragrant orchids, thin and subtle, very elusive.
Tasting: Slightly sweet, nutty flavours, straw. Bitter only at the dregs, and then only after long steeping.
When to drink: For thinking, reading, blogging, or rehydrating after exercise.

The highest grade of Silver Needle tea leaves are long and thin, with small fine hairs on each leaf. After brewing, the hairs detach and become suspended in the tea, which accounts for its shimmering, silvery look upon first brew. I don't think they contribute to the taste much though - my silver needle tea is usually better upon second brew, and sometimes third brew too. The tea I have is probably a slightly lower grade, as there aren't that many hairs still attached to the leaf. Upon brewing, some tea leaves will be temporarily suspended upright at the bottom of the cup, giving the tea its name.

The tea is grown in the Zhenhe and Fuding districts of Fujian province, and should only be picked in March and April when it is not raining. The best grade is Baihao Yinzhen (白毫银针), which is made from the buds near the top of the plant.

While the prescribed method of brewing is to use off-boil water (about 75-80 degrees Celsius), I feel that this gives a flavour which is too delicate and elusive. The tea is much more flavourful (although it lacks the shimmering silver colour) when brewed with 90-100 degree water. Call me a Philistine, but why waste such delicious tea?