Autumn Silver Needle White Tea

The White Tea Autumn Silver Needle is obtained from a second harvest composed mainly of buds and a small portion of young leaves.

This tea, despite the premises usually associated with second-rate products, has a lot to say thanks to the important camellias from which it comes and the attention received during its development and processing.

Autumn harvests carried out judiciously, therefore, result in flavor-rich leaves in which, compared to the first harvest of the year, it is possible to find significant variations on taste and body in the cup.

Thanks to the long resting period, the robust camellias in Fujian from which this product comes have resulted in thick leaves with well-structured aromas that translate predominantly into a floral character.

The infusion of Autumn Silver Needle White Tea also demonstrates good body in the cup, a characteristic also related to the presence of some individual leaves in addition to the buds.

We invite you to compare this product with its spring version that you find as Early Spring Silver Needle White Tea so that you can delve into the differences between the two harvests yourself.

Tasting - Sight and Smell

Autumn Silver Needle White Tea is silvery green in color and very rich in buds, covered with a thick, fluffy white fluff. Once infused, leaves and buds release aromas of hawthorn, honey, hay and hops, as well as fruity notes and hints of mountain herbs. In the cup it is a beautiful golden color with rosy highlights: it has a velvety body and is denser than a classic Silver Needle, totally lacking in astringency or bitterness.

Tasting Notes

GONG FU CHA

The first infusion of Autumn Silver Needle white tea is smooth and enveloping: sweet hints of vanilla cocoa and lime honey alternate with fresher notes of hay, white pepper, wild flowers, and hawthorn. The second infusion allows notes of gentian and hops to emerge, with a faint hint reminiscent of juniper berries. With the third and subsequent infusions, fruity hints of dehydrated apricot are also clearly perceived, and even sweeter and velvety cocoa notes return.

At the WEST

The first notes that can be heard when sipping Autumn Silver Needle white tea are definitely enveloping and sweet: they are reminiscent of acacia honey, lime honey and cocoa. This is immediately followed by fruity notes of dehydrated apricot and apple compote, then floral notes reminiscent of wild flowers and even faint hints of vanilla. The finish is very fresh, with notes of hay and mountain herbs, while the persistence remains long and sweet of honey and cocoa.

Location of origin

Fuding, Fujian - China

Production

Once harvested, the leaves of Autumn Silver Needle White Tea are left to shrivel in the sun so that the plant mass loses some moisture and the oxidation process can begin.

Then, At the appropriate time, the producer withdraws the tea to allow oxidation to proceed in a more controlled environment and finally fixes the aromas and taste by exposing the leaves to jets of hot air.

Processing is very simple but some skill is required in recognizing the right times to oxidize the leaves and, above all, to gradually allow the product to lose moisture so that it does not lose its organoleptic characteristics.

Infusion Method of Autumn Silver Needle White Tea

We strongly recommend infusing this tea in the traditional Chinese method (Gong Fu Cha) with a gaiwan with a capacity of about 150 ml. By following this preparation, multiple infusions can be made with 5 grams of leaves that are useful for best capturing all the flavor nuances of the tea.

Heat the water to a temperature of 80°C: proceed to briefly rinse the leaves and then to an initial infusion of 40 seconds. Keeping the water at the same temperature, you can then continue to exploit the same leaves by adding more water and increasing the infusion time by 10 seconds each time (40-50-60...).

This tea has a longevity of about 5 infusions.

For a more classic preparation according to the Western style we recommend 3 grams of leaves in a 200 ml cup with water at 80°C for an infusion time of 4-5 minutes.

For a better tasting experience we suggest that you strain the tea as soon as the infusion time is over. The infusion timings we suggest can be slightly altered to your liking to achieve a more or less intense taste.

We recommend storing in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight.

Benefits of White Tea

The White Tea category, along with the Green Tea category, is able to give a moderate energy effect due to its caffeine and amino acid content.

The high presence of buds and young leaves in Autumn Silver Needle white tea also allows for an infusion with a significant presence of antioxidants and minerals.

Depending on the type of white tea and its origin, it is also possible to feel a pleasant sense of freshness or warmth at the end of drinking. This makes it suitable for all seasons.