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Soft malt and light cocoa are immediately apparent, followed by gentle smokiness and a note of baked bread. This tea is supremely smooth and lacks any rough edges, without seeming weak in flavor or mouthfeel.

Ripe honeydew melon and gentle sugarcane sweetness fill the mouth, transitioning into lingering notes of anise, vanilla bean, and light licorice. Beautifully complex and silky smooth, this is a sublime Silver Needle and one that I would recommend without reservation.

Toasted, lightly buttered corn and a vegetal grassy note dominate the palate. The liquor is thin, but fairly smooth. I found it appealing and was reminded of genmaicha with a strong green tea base.

The texture is surprisingly viscous and velvety smooth as it fills the mouth, with a peculiar note of white rice accompanying the typical dry hay of other Silver Needles, and the barest floral hint creeps in during the finish. I find it altogether lacking in sweetness, but still a pleasant cup.

The tea opens with a gentle woodsy note, followed by light honey and a hint of indistinct fruit. The finish is fairly smooth and without bitterness. I am most reminded of Oriental Beauty, and this compares favorably.

Softly textured as it coats the mouth, this unscented Jin Xuan delivers with its clear note of sweet, fresh milk and a considerably subtler hint of mango that fades into a vegetal butteriness.

The initial sip is toasted malt, quickly yielding to honeyed sweet cream and a delightful note of cinnamon that becomes more prevalent in the aftertaste. Smooth, reasonably thick, and very satisfying.

The bergamot is sweet and perfumed, but not cloyingly so, and in balance with the light malt of the black tea base. Clean tasting and smooth, without any harsh additives; simply the oil and tea.

Refined dark malt immediately hits the palate and transitions to notes of cocoa, smoked meat, and leather. There is no sweetness here, only savory qualities. This would normally put me off, but the flavors blend well together, and the finish is very smooth.

A slight oiliness on the tongue leads into a distinct note of peach cream and somewhat overripe honeybell orange, but without any acidity. The aftertaste is mildly drying and has a buttery green floral character that lingers. Enjoyable.