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“At first, I thought that this tea was overly subtle, punishingly delicate, and fleeting. The first steeps didn’t have that punchy strong glowing pale fruit juiciness, the hay and straw scents...” Read full tasting note
“One of my favorite white teas. Nice and subtle, unlike many by this company. A little bitter if oversteeped, but that can be carefully managed. If it’s steeped for longer than 2-3 minutes it...” Read full tasting note
We are proud to introduce 2009 Organic Fuding Silver Needle Grand Cru. Organic Silver Needle (Bai Hao Yin Zhen) is the premium grade of classic white tea from Northern Fujian and our Grand Cru stands out as the best amongst all the batches harvested during the premier Silver Needle plucking season.
The term “Grand Cru” is used to describe a top class of wine from a specific vineyard that year after year produces outstanding wine compared to the wine produced from the neighboring vineyards. We felt the term “Grand Cru” is a very fitting title of distinction for our Organic Fuding Silver Needle from the premier growing region of traditional White Tea.
Our 2009 Organic Silver Needle crop was selected after tasting dozens of production lots and selecting just the few best batches. Rishi’s 2009 Organic Silver Needle Grand Cru is a carefully selected blend of the best lots from 3 days early spring production and represents the very finest Silver Needle from one of the premier white tea farms in all of Fuding according to Rishi’s traditional production and curing methods.
Rishi Silver Needle from our Fuding White tea project has won the 1st Place Award for the White Tea Class at the World Tea Championship for two consecutive years in 2008 and 2009.
In the later part of March, the weather was just right and provided a slow growing, perfectly immature bud flush with the right balance of sweet, savory, fruity and floral qualities. We reserved this exclusive batch and air shipped it to Rishi Tea to represent the very best of this farm’s yield.
Our Silver Needle consists only of the first flush spring buds that are hand harvested from the Fuding Da Hao varietal. Out of all the major White Tea varietals in Fujian, the Fuding Da Hao white tea bushes are prized for their long and fat silvery buds, high content of L-theanine amino acid and a naturally delicious, sweet and savory flavor.
If Fuding Da Hao is picked at the right state of immaturity and carefully processed during the proper time of year, the Silver Needle from Fuding Da Hao bushes can offer a subtle fruity and floral finish as evident in our Grand Cru.
Use a porcelain guywan, glass teapot or a Ho-hin. Infuse 3–4 tablespoons in 5-6 ounces of water. Use 168˚F water. Infuse the 1st and 2nd infusions for 5–6 minutes and the 3rd, 4th, 5th and subsequent infusions for 6 minutes, based on the desired strength. After the 4th infusion, increase the water temperature to bring out more strength in the tea./ Ingredients: Organic white tea. / Origin: Fujian, China.
Rishi Tea specializes in sourcing the most rarefied teas and botanical ingredients from exotic origins around the globe. This forms a palette from which we craft original blends inspired by equal parts ancient herbal wisdom and modern culinary innovation. Discover new tastes and join us on our journey to leave ‘No Leaf Unturned’.
At first, I thought that this tea was overly subtle, punishingly delicate, and fleeting. The first steeps didn’t have that punchy strong glowing pale fruit juiciness, the hay and straw scents restrained, a faint bit of starchy squash lingering in the background. But as the leaves warmed and steeped, the soup settled into what I can only call a graceful, complex maturity. This tea has a very refined air to it, with quiet, but complex, soft notes of fresh garden herbs, warm dawn earth, and just-peeled tree bark.
Sometimes it takes a quiet mind and a patient palate to pull from tea what it has to give. I think this one requires that level of detail, as it has not been processed to beat you over the head with that full-of-juice, spring-like, dewy sweetness and flavor that comes on strong in the first steeps of so many silver needles, only to evaporate quickly and leave you with something grassy and plain. No, this tea has stamina and grace out in the seventh and eight steeps. A truly notable and sophisticated example.
Full blog post: http://tea.theskua.com/?p=151
One of my favorite white teas. Nice and subtle, unlike many by this company. A little bitter if oversteeped, but that can be carefully managed. If it’s steeped for longer than 2-3 minutes it becomes quite bitter and tastes just as bad as the cheap bagged stuff out there. I like that it is organic and easily accessed.
