Chinese Name: Yunnan Yin Zhen

Profile

Leaf:	Soft, down covered buds
Infusion:	Light, golden toned liquor
Aroma:	Sweet, almost almond like notes
Taste:	Mild, no bitter flavor and smooth texture

Harvest Season:	Spring 2007
Origin:	Simao, Yunnan Province
Processing Method:	Baked
Leaf Form:	Single Bud
Organic Cert:	N/A

Description of Tea

Yin Zhen, known as Silver Needle in English, is one of China’s most famous teas. Its name beautifully portrays the single bud, silver tipped composition. This tea, composed entirely of soft, down covered, spring harvested buds, is cultivated in southern Yunnan Province’s Simao prefecture. The brew creates a light, golden colored infusion yielding a sweet, almost almond like aroma with no hints of astringency or bitterness. Although this Silver Needle is a rather simple tea, requiring little knowledge of tea to understand and appreciate, it’s a beautiful specimen of Yunnan’s variety of great teas.

 

Preferred Method:	Glass Teapot 200ml
Acceptable Method:	Gaiwan 200ml
If You Must:	Teapot
Quantity of Tea:	4-5 grams
Water Temp:	160-180°F, 70-80°C
Infusion Time:	1 minute first brew; increase by 1 minute each consecutive brew

How to Brew?

The preferred method of brewing is a gaiwan or a glass tea pot.  Glass in particular makes for a wonderful presentation and greater enjoyment of these spectacular tea leaves. Boil water to 160-180° F or 70-80° C and rinse the teapot or gaiwan once.  By rinsing we ensure the teaware is free of any unwanted matter as well as create optimal heat conditions for brewing.  After a thorough rinsing add tea leaves to teapot.  We suggest 4 to 5 grams of tea per 200 ml of water.  However, these parameters have more to do with personal tastes than any sort of scientific groundings.  The lengths of the infusions are also dependent upon personal preference for either a weaker or stronger infusion.   We suggest starting with shorter infusion times of up to one minute for the first brew while gradually increasing infusion times by one minute for each consecutive brew.