Cameron B. select Send Message

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Cameron B. drank Silver Needles - White Tea of Feng Qing (Spring 2014) by Yunnan Sourcing

4330 tasting notes

Lewis & Clarke TTB

Ah, silver needles, always so lovely. :D This is the first white tea I’ve tried from Yunnan Sourcing, though I love their blacks. The buds are a beautiful combination of white and green with bits of grey in there, and they’re super fuzzy. Dry, they smell strongly of honey with a little bit of fruitiness and a touch of grass, also some grain. I did 2 minutes at 185 degrees.

Mm, the aroma is lovely! Creamy and grainy with just a touch of grassy freshness, along with some cucumber. Oh my goodness, this is delicious! There’s a light fruitiness that reminds me of apricots along with a lovely malty flavor combined with the ubiquitous grain of white tea. I also seem to pick up on a little touch of floral (honeysuckle?), but it’s not the heady variety and it goes nicely with the lightness of this tea. There’s also maybe a hint of spice, cinnamon perhaps? Along with all of this is a lovely fresh note that’s some combination of cucumber and a sweet grassy note. Definitely the best silver needle I’ve had so far! :D

Edit: I am finding this one to be quite astringent as I continue to drink. It doesn’t bother me, as it causes me to recall apricots more clearly. :P

http://yunnansourcing.com/en/whitetea/2887-silver-needles-white-tea-of-feng-qing-spring-2014.html

Flavors: Apricot, Astringent, Cinnamon, Creamy, Cucumber, Grain, Grass, Hay, Honeysuckle, Malt, Oats

Preparation

185 °F / 85 °C 2 min, 0 sec 2 tsp 8 OZ / 236 ML

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tea-sipper
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Cameron, your notes are VERY helpful as I’m choosing what to taste from the Lewis & Clark teabox. :D

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tea-sipper
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Cameron, your notes are VERY helpful as I’m choosing what to taste from the Lewis & Clark teabox. :D

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Bio

Hi, I’m Cameron!

I’m a 30-something software engineer currently living in Austin, Texas with my husband and our two pugs, Gobo and Ume. I tend to cycle between my different hobbies, and they include piano, knitting, video games, board games, miniature painting, planners, bento, Korean skincare, and – of course – TEA! But really, what I’m best at is “collecting” hobby-related things… ;)

~ 2025 SIPDOWN CHALLENGE! ~
- February sipdowns: 5
- Total 2025 sipdowns: 39

I prefer my tea lukewarm or at room temperature and without milk or sugar. I steep Western style, and fluctuate between using big mugs or small teapots depending on the season.

I am always up for a swap! Just let me know if you’d like to try something in my cupboard.

Tea Preferences:
I enjoy both flavored and unflavored teas in many forms. These days, I drink mostly flavored teas, and I tend to gravitate most toward black, green, oolong, and herbal varieties. I do have a special fondness for straight Japanese green teas, however.

I do not sweeten my teas, and pre-sweetened teas are usually too sweet for me. I also do not enjoy stevia (or monkfruit, etc.).

I tend to reach for fruitier flavors rather than desserty ones these days, but I do have favorites from both categories. Willing to try anything once! There are a few ingredients/flavors that aren’t generally my jam, such as coconut, rose, lavender, and chocolate flavoring. But I also have teas that I love with some of those things, too! :)

Favorite Companies:
3 Leaf
Bird & Blend
Dammann Frères
Harney & Sons
Kyoto Obubu Tea Farms
Lupicia
Old Barrel Tea Co
Simpson & Vail
Taiwan Tea Crafts
TeaVivre

Tea Rating Scale:
90-100: Outstanding! Permanent cupboard resident
80-89: Great – a possible staple
70-79: Good, but I wouldn’t buy it
60-69: It’s decent
50-59: Meh… I may or may not have finished the cup
40-49: Ick. Couldn’t finish it.
00-39: Repulsive, I spat it out

I will sometimes refrain from rating a tea if I feel I’m too biased due to my personal dislikes, or if I suspect the sample has been compromised by age or scent contamination.

Cupboard Spreadsheet:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ZEuKf1-ppR-VXajO4vV39zU1N3zjFJteEPAynqD2yl0/edit?usp=sharing