Silver Needle tea is a grade of white tea, made exclusively from tea buds. Its appearance is marked by prominent white buds, resembling a silver needle.
Silver Needle Tea: The Highest Grade of White Tea
The largest production area is Fuding City in Fujian Province. It is characterized by thick, prominent white buds covered in fine hairs, giving it the appearance of silver needles. When brewed, it looks very beautiful and is considered one of the most prestigious grades of white tea. It takes around 20,000 buds to produce 500 grams of Silver Needle tea. Due to its difficulty in production and its sweet, fresh flavor, it is highly sought after. Naturally, its price is also on the higher side.
Silver Needle Tea Production Process
Silver Needle tea is mainly harvested during the spring season, with the first flush offering the highest quality. Only the tea buds, the youngest part of the plant, are picked. Since harvesting is difficult, it takes about 20,000 tea buds to produce 500 grams of Silver Needle tea, resulting in a very limited supply. Additionally, the tea can only be harvested on sunny days, and diseased or old leaves are not picked.
After harvesting, the tea undergoes sun withering for about 15 minutes before moving indoors for further withering. This withering process lasts 48-72 hours, followed by drying. Drying is done using a slow-baking method at low temperatures, with the tea master adjusting the temperature and time based on the remaining moisture content to ensure the highest quality. Once the drying is complete, the tea is ready.
Silver Needle Tea Brewing Method
The brewing method for Silver Needle is the same as for other white teas. Spring water or mineral water is ideal. The water temperature should be around 90°C (194°F), and the tea-to-water ratio is about 1:40, meaning 2.5 grams of tea leaves per 100 ml teapot. Since the tea is not rolled during production, its flavor takes longer to release. Therefore, Silver Needle tea should be steeped for a longer time. The first infusion is typically 5 minutes, and for subsequent infusions, an additional minute is added each time.