In China there is a saying about aged white tea: "After one year it's just tea, after three years it's medicine, after seven years it's a treasure". Some say that the older white is, the better it gets.
Today I would like to share with you a 2014 Bai Hao Yin Zhen (Silver Needle) from our teahouse's reserves. This Bai Hao Yin Zhen comes from wild, high mountain area of Guan Yang in Fuding, from a tea garden about 1000 meters above sea level. It's surrounded by rich vegetation, the tea trees grow naturally without artificial irrigation and fertilization. The wild environment contributes to higher level of nutritional substances, while the high mountain coolness makes the tea sweeter and smoother.
The amount of tea made this way is scarce, and Bai Hao Yin Zhen is the pinnacle of white teas, made only from plump and strong young buds. 500g of the finished tea consists of about 30.000 buds and 2kg of freshly picked leaves are required to make it. Bai Hao Yin Zhen is not processed in high temperature and it is not rolled. It only undergoes natural withering to retain the characteristics of the young white buds as much as possible.
This 2014 Bai Hao Yinzhen is full of white hairs, buds are full and uniform, its fragrance is light yet rich and pleasant. When the tea is brewed, the soup color is light yellow and bright, taste sweet and mellow, full and pure. The aftertaste is sweet. Notes of rich honey sweetnes and beans blend together. The infused leaves have elegant fragrance like orchids. This tea is the perfect example of silver needles and really shows their charm!
After 6 years of natural storage and maturation, the aroma has settled and the aftertaste is particularly pronounced. Each sip of this tea is lubricating and delicate, the aroma stays in your mouth, which is accompanied by a clear and moist feeling in the throat.
We only have 5kg of this tea, but the amount available for sale is limited to 2kg
Suggested brewing method:
Teaware: white porcelain gaiwan (120ml)
Serving size: about 4g of tea
Water: pure spring water
Water temperature: 100℃ freshly boiled water
Bai Hao Yin Zhen is not recommended to be boiled like many other aged white teas.