2016 Fuding Silver Needle White Tea

Silver Needle white tea is a prized tea from Fujian Province and is ranked among China's most famous teas. Only the top buds or leaf shoots of the plant are used to make the tea. The tea's possible origins date back to the early years of the Jiaqing era in the Qing Dynasty, around 1796. Silver Needle white tea was originally called Luxueya, which translates to "green snow shoots," and is regarded as the ancestor of white tea. The mother tree is planted in Hongxue Cave on Taimu Mountain in Fuding, where the mild, warm climate and abundant rainfall provide perfect conditions for growing tea.

The name "Silver Needle" comes from the unique fleshy hairs that are visible within the brewed cup. As a white tea, Silver Needle is only lightly oxidized, rather than being completely fresh like green tea. The most sought-after production comes from the first new buds, which flush early in the year between late March and early April. Unlike green tea, Silver Needle is best picked on a sunny early morning when the sun is high enough to have dried any moisture from the buds. Traditionally, the plucks are laid out in the sun in shallow baskets to wilt for an extended period before being brought in for a low-temperature dry bake.

Silver Needle white tea can be harvested in spring, summer, and autumn. Spring tea is considered the highest quality and most abundant; we source this tea during this time. This particular tea has been aged for 10 years, allowing its flavors to develop greater depth and complexity.