Shhh!, this tea is so delicate you can spook it. I must admit, I am a big fan of Adagio Teas and I am used to Silver Needle but in loose leaf form. I recently purchased their new “teabags” and must say are pretty nice; they are made of nylon and my preliminary feeling is that they restrict the flavor a little bit compared to a silk sachet. I do need to try another tea say a white peony with a little more flavor profile to test it against such a delicate tea as the Silver Needle. Now, on to my review.
The Aroma: This tea has the soft aroma of melon, peach and candied pears but in a very soft subdued manner, barely there.
The Taste: The taste is very delicate and mild yet still noticeable. It has the flavor profile of the fruits mentioned above with a sublime sweetness. There really isn’t that much more to this flavor.
The Aftertaste: There is a slight crispness as an aftertaste, reminiscent of apples. There really isn’t one; it does not linger like other teas. To me, it seems to cleanse the palate.
If you like big bold flavor teas, then this type is not for you. Silver Needle is a very delicate, soft, sublime tea.
I do highly recommend this tea and this brand even though most tea connoisseurs are familiar with the brand. A must buy!
Update: Even though I stick to my guns about reviewing only the first infusion, I do have to admit that I had a cuppa this evening and the profile still stands, however, it was a little more intense due to the amount of water. I believe I used a smaller cup than with this initial review; on this website it only offers us steep time and water temperature…I guess we have to fill in the rest like amount of water used. This is a nice and tasty tea, can’t wait to try the White Peony in the same type of cup. Adagio Teas offers some fine teas!
