Expect a supremely vibrant and aromatic delivery of cocoa, sweetgrass, and citrus rind from these tender, teensy, yet flavorful buds.  Higher pitched tones and aromas soar, yet body and structure still accordion-drop in a quenching finish.

A returning favorite to the early spring lineup of annual freshies, our Zhenghe County sourced 白毫银针 Bái Háo Yín Zhēn ("White Hair Silver Needle" or Pekoe Silver Needle) tea this year is as charming, delicate, and vitalizing as always.

Producers and sellers in the ever-growing market for Fujianese white tea have begun to distinguish between several grades of the style of Silver Needle.  Whereas Yin Zhen used to be all longer, banana-shaped buds harvested in late March, now a new shorter bud, earlier-harvested variety has begun to pique the fascination of the connoisseur market: 米芽银针 Mǐ Yá Yín Zhēn ("Rice Bud Silver Needle").  These needles are cute, early early spring little rice buds!

Always pursuant of these types of emerging specialties, we're glad to present to you this Mi Ya grade Yin Zhen grown from Zhenghe Dabai cultivar bushes, harvested on March 17th at 1100 meters in Zhenghe.

This is a tea that handsomely rewards slowing down and tuning in during the tea session: fragrant, nutritive tones of sweet grass swim in a delicate and entertaining mouthfeel that eventually gives way to an aftertaste of sweet nuttiness — 甘 gān.  We hope you'll get a chance to try this tea.

More Zhenghe County white teas are to be found here.