Silver Needles (Aiguilles d’Argent), the brilliance of nature

This exceptional tea owes its name to its striking appearance: its fine needle-shaped buds are covered in a delicate white down with silver glints. It is highly regarded in the world of tea for its subtle and natural taste and makes an excellent choice to appreciate the quintessence of white tea.

Many legends surround Yin Zhen (literally “silver needles”). For example, it was said that it could only be harvested by the light of the full moon, in the middle of the night. One thing is true, however: during the Ming dynasty, producers set aside a portion of their harvest for the Emperor, paying tribute with their best tea. For centuries, “tribute tea” was associated with prestige because it was only intended for the highest dignitaries of the Empire.

Silver Needles as we taste them today are from a more recent era. This tea was born in China at the end of the 18th century in the city of Fuding, on the slopes of Mount Taimu, when farmers tried making tea using only the buds of Camellia sinensis . After producing teas that relied on complex production techniques (such as Oolongs and black teas), they went back to basics with a pure tea in its simplest form, offering the pleasure of the taste of the freshly picked leaf in the cup.

A century later, a particularly large variety of tea bush with downy buds that was perfectly suited to the production of this tea was discovered in the same location. It was named Da Bai (or “Great White”) and is still used today.

A natural tea

Producing Yin Zhen requires exceptional expertise. The tea undergoes minimal handling after picking. The only tools needed to make it are nature, the climate and know-how. It therefore requires absolute mastery from the planter. Harvesting takes place in the spring, when the buds are about to open. The harvest is called “imperial” because only the bud is harvested, and requires great dexterity and care. The buds are then left to wither in the sun for more than 48 hours, spread over bamboo racks in the open air. The producer must be able to anticipate the climatic conditions to take advantage of dry weather and reduce the moisture content of the buds. The latter are then dried before being packaged.

Tea for conversation

White tea, especially Silver Needles, is very popular in China for its thirst-quenching properties. It is consumed in summer by the lake in Hangzhou, a beautiful city in southern China. The weather is hot, you let the tea brew for a long time, you find yourself forgetting about it as you get lost in the meanderings of a fascinating conversation. Then you enjoy the silence as you taste this wonderfully complex tea. Its delicate fragrances give you the impression that you are drinking in nature itself.

Floral notes create a subtle bouquet on the palate, followed by fruity and vegetal aromas, like a light breeze that refreshes without overwhelming. You infuse the tea again and again, savouring this exceptional tea almost indefinitely.

Yin Zhen is particularly well suited to brewing in a porcelain gaiwan. Porcelain keeps the flavours fresh while allowing the water to be in direct contact with the downy buds. As they mingle with the water, the buds reveal their full potential and give the tea a silky texture. This tea is always a topic of conversation! •

To learn more about white tea, take an audio trip around Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia and China by listening to this podcast episode! (In French.)