Tea Information:
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: In Nature
Tea Description:
Silver Needle Bai Hao white tea is possibly the most natural form of tea. It is only made from the buds, picked when they are at their most tender.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
The dry leaf doesn’t really look like any Silver Needle that I’ve ever seen before. I see Silver Needles in there, but, then I also see larger leaves in there, darker leaves that look a bit like Bai Mu Dan, and perhaps even some Shou Mei. Like a blend of at least the two, and possibly all three of these types of white tea. The aroma is soft and reminiscent of fresh air and hay. The brewed tea has a slight vegetative scent to it, and is a pale golden color – a bit darker than I’d expect from a typical Silver Needle.
The flavor is very nice – but again, it doesn’t taste to me like other Silver Needle teas that I’ve tasted. Silver Needle tea is usually quite delicate. And while this does have a certain delicate quality to it, it has a fuller, rounder taste. It really doesn’t taste like a Silver Needle, but then again, it doesn’t taste like the Bai Mu Dan or Shou Mei teas that I’ve tried in the past either. This has a unique and wonderful flavor all it’s own.
It is a very crisp flavor with a fair amount of astringency. The layers of flavor reveal vegetative notes, nutty tones and hints of flower and fruit – almost an apple-like taste with a hint of honeysuckle. There is even a hint of malt to this – almost like the flavor of infused hops.
I enjoyed this hot, but I think I liked it even better as it cooled. It was very refreshing, and the tang of astringency toward the tail was very uplifting. Not quite what I expected from a Silver Needle tea, but, I am enjoying it nonetheless.
Jasmine Superior Dragon’s Pearls (Molin Hua) from In Nature
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: In Nature
Product Description:
This a top quality flower (jasmine) tea created from only the finest leaves, buds and flowers picked early in the morning to ensure freshness of aroma and flavour.
The tea brews to a pale yellow colour and the beautifully subtle floral aroma invites you to drink.
Taster’s Review:
As I’ve said before, I adore jasmine teas. I’ve tasted many jasmine teas in the past, and it would seem that I’ve had many “favorites” – I guess it could be said that when it comes to jasmine, I’m quite fickle. Keeping that in mind, this is one of the best jasmine pearl teas that I’ve encountered.
Now, don’t get me wrong. I’ve encountered some rather distasteful jasmine teas. Sometimes, the jasmine is overwhelming, leaving the cup tasting too floral, and there is often a sharp bitterness to it. Sometimes, the jasmine is an artificial jasmine flavoring, and this often produces a soapy tasting tea. But here, the jasmine is absolutely spot-on. It tastes natural. It tastes sweet. It tastes perfect.
The flavor is incredibly smooth. The green tea has a light flavor with mere hints of a grassy undertone. The tea has an almost-creamy texture to it, which highlights the smoothness of the tea.
Truly a beautiful jasmine tea. I recommend this one to all the jasmine tea lovers out there!
Spring Green – Bi Luo Chun (Alpine Tea) from In Nature
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: In Nature
Product Description:
The words Bi Lo Chun translate literally to mean ‘spring snail shell’. The leaves are picked in the spring. Then, when you see this tea, you will notice that the leaves are rolled into small balls which resemble snail shells.
When brewed, this green tea produces a yellow-green colour, the fragrance is described as floral and it has a clean and smooth flavour with a sweet after taste.
Taster’s Review:
There is no doubt that this is a “Spring” tea – springtime is in the aroma and in the taste. The fragrance is lightly floral and grassy, evoking images of springtime when you can smell the scent of flowers in bloom and the fresh, green grass wafting through the air.
The flavor is also lightly floral. It has a “green” taste to it that falls somewhere between grassy and vegetable-like. It is very pleasantly sweet with a savory taste that hits just after mid-sip, just enough bitter taste to cut through the sweet and give the cup balance. There is some drying astringency at the tail, and the aftertaste is sweet.
Overall, I find this to be a very agreeable Bi Luo Chun (or Snail Shell tea as it is sometimes called) with an uplifting, crisp taste. I like it particularly in the afternoon or early evening when I am in need of invigorating; it seems to gently energize the body while it replenishes the soul and soothes the spirit.
This is the perfect way to de-stress!
Silver Needle Bai Hao (Wu Yi Qu Hao) from In Nature
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: In Nature
Product Description:
Silver Needle Bai Hao white tea is possibly the most natural form of tea. It is only made from the buds, picked when they are at their most tender.
These sweet and tender leaves used to be exclusively for the Emperors and royalty of China, as they were so rare and exquisite. A real treat that is now available for the enjoyment of all tea lovers.
The tea brews to a pale yellow-green colour with fresh aroma similar to green tea with a crisp and fresh taste.
Taster’s Review:
This is sooooooo GOOD! So very good!
These long, slender leaves are of very high quality, evidenced by the fact that they’re covered in silvery-white, soft fuzz. The aroma of the dry leaf offers hints of fruit and floral notes – but with an airy quality to the scent as well. Sort of like the way the air would smell while walking through a fruit orchard (perhaps an apple orchard?) in bloom. The fragrance of the brewed tea is a bit softer, but it still smells fresh and crisp.
The flavor is sublime. It is a remarkably smooth and sweet taste. Very pure and clean! It has a light vegetative quality that is not exactly grassy, but not exactly vegetable either. I would describe it as somewhere in-between the two tastes. It is a remarkably light vegetative note, but I like the way it contributes to the refreshing taste of this tea.
One of the best silver needle teas I’ve encountered in a very long time. If you’re a fan of silver needle teas – I suggest putting this one on your must try list!
Puerh (Yunnan) from In Nature
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Pu-erh
Where to Buy: In Nature
Product Description:
Pu-erh, the great “connoisseur Tea”. The Queen of all Teas, known for its noble palate, taste and aroma. Also famous for its numerous health properties. Yunnan region.
This tea brews to a reddish-brown colour and has a distinctive liquorice, soothing taste.
Taster’s Review:
The more I drink Pu-erh, the more I am liking it. As I’ve mentioned before, I wasn’t always fond of it. In fact, disgust would be a better way to describe my feelings toward Pu-erh. But, since that time, I have learned how to brew Pu-erh and now that I brew it properly (well, properly for me, anyway), I actually quite like it.
The aroma of the dry tuocha is earthy but it is not as strong an earthy essence as some Pu-erh I have encountered. Once brewed, the liquor is quite light in fragrance. Likewise, the flavor is much lighter-tasting. It is remarkably smooth and even. The sometimes off-putting earthy flavor of Pu-erh is not present here. Yes, it has an earthy quality to it, but it is rather delicate and quite nice.
The description above suggests that this has a liquorice flavor, and I must agree, I can taste the liquorice-like note in this, and it resonates throughout the sip. This liquorice flavor highlights the deep sweetness to this cup.
this is definitely one of the most delightful Pu-erh teas that I’ve ever had the opportunity to taste. I like it very much.