Big Silver Needle White Tea 2026, 25g | Lincang, Yunnan

Silver Needle (Bai Hao Yin Zhen) is the most prized grade of Chinese white tea, made from tips alone. The tip is the unopened bud at the very top of the shoot, slender and covered in fine soft down. Picking only tips is what makes Silver Needle the most valuable and labour-intensive white tea there is. This "Big" Silver Needle comes from a large-leaf cultivar, giving notably plump, full tips. From the Bai Ying Shan gardens in Lincang, Yunnan, the fresh 2026 harvest, offered in a 25 g portion.

White tea is the most delicate of all tea types, simply withered and dried, so a Silver Needle lives or dies on the quality of its tips and the care of its drying. This one is refined and gentle, with a soft, elegant aroma and clear notes of nectar and honey carrying through the aftertaste. There is no roast, no bitterness, nothing to hide behind, just clean, sweet tip character.

The liquor is very pale and bright, almost clear, soft and silky on the palate with a quiet honeyed sweetness. It steeps gently across several infusions, the delicate nectar notes opening gradually. Use cooler water and a little patience; Silver Needle rewards a slow, unhurried approach rather than aggressive steeping.

The benchmark white tea and a beautiful introduction to the category, delicate enough to fascinate experienced drinkers and easy enough to win over newcomers. Enjoy it fresh now for its lifted, nectar-like character, or keep it to follow how a fine white tea deepens and sweetens with age.

Tea profile