This is an older tea in my stash, one I keep forgetting I own. I bought it because I was curious about how it compared to Teavana’s Silver Needle, which I used to drink religiously. They’re made from the same type of white tea (Bai Hao Yin Zhen, I think?), so I expected them to be similar. The pearls aren’t bad, but overall, I think I prefer their unrolled Silver Needle tea.

In the tin, the Silver Yin Zhen Pearls smell sweet and lightly earthy. They seem to have a stronger scent than Teavana’s Silver Needle—but like most unflavored whites I’ve tried, the aroma is pretty subtle. The liquor steeps to a soft yellow color. To me, it doesn’t taste as creamy or as light as the Silver Needle does. Instead, it has notes of hay, and seems a lot sweeter in flavor. The aftertaste also reminded me of green tea. Somewhat vegetal and earthy, with just a hint of dryness.

I’ll have to drink a cup of Teavana’s Silver Needle in the next few days, so I can compare them more closely. For now, though, I think I prefer the subtle creaminess of their unrolled Silver Needle to the pearls. The pearls have a stronger sweetness to them, and while the taste is pleasant, I prefer white tea that isn’t quite as sweet. The Silver Yin Zhen Pearls would be a good option for someone who wants more flavor— though they aren’t cheap, like a lot of Teavana’s teas.

(Note to self: I need to look into trying more Bai Hao Yin Zhen from other companies… I purchased Teavana’s Silver Needle early on in my loose leaf tea journey, but I don’t have much to compare it to. I should expand my knowledge of unflavored white teas!)

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I’m a writer who drinks tea to survive the creative process. A few years ago, I discovered the joys of loose leaf, and I’ve been hoarding all kinds of tea ever since!

My favorite teas change by the day. I usually drink them unsweetened, without milk. I like white and green teas, but I tend to prefer black and oolong these days. Rooibos can be hit-or-miss, same with herbals. (I mostly avoid blends with hibiscus, as I find it too tart, and I’m not a huge mint fan.) But I love when I find a good herbal that I can enjoy when I don’t want caffeine. I’m actively searching for tasty blends with chamomile in them.

I enjoy both flavored and straight teas. Some of my favorite flavors are vanilla, spice, apple, orange, chocolate, and peach. I’m obsessed with ginger. Seriously. I’ve been known to add extra ginger to teas that already have absurd amounts of spice in them. You’ve been warned. ;)

Location

Arizona

Website

http://www.katrinabender.com/

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