Silver Needles from Dragonwater

Scent in package: Not really fragrant – the slightest hint of alfalfa
Brewed in: Glass teapot/infuser
Steeped: 2 min. @ 180 degrees
Cup: Porcelain teacup

I don’t drink white tea often, because sometimes they make my gums sore. I’m not sure if it’s just the occasional over brewed cup with more astringency, or what, but I can only drink one to two cups before I have to just stop, to save my mouth from unnecessary pain. So I only drank one infusion of this last night, though I have the leaves and may brew another cup this evening.

This tea really isn’t all that fragrant. Even when brewed, it only gives up the slightest hint of a field-like scent…of grasses and alfalfa when it’s breezy out. It’s light in color, as a white tea should be, and the taste is exceedingly subtle.

The dry leaves are truely beautiful - long needles covered with a very light fuzz in that gray-green color that is so relaxing to look at.

The best part of this tea for me was the sweetness. It’s very sweet naturally – almost fruity, but with a honeyed undertone. The texture is a bit thicker too, which I find very soothing. I felt like I was coming down with a cold last night, and the texture and sweetness of this tea seemed to really sooth my almost-achy throat along with my mind.

It’s very subtle, but the flavor of alfalfa is there, if you allow yourself to close your eyes and just focus on the tea. When you are engaged in some other activity while sipping (as I was reading), the sweetness is it’s most prominent aspect.

It’s a very clear tea, and taking all aspects into account – the texture, taste, super-light scent, and clarity - I enjoyed it very much. I had two cups (of the first infusion) and had it not been time for bed, I may well have indulged in another infusion, just because it was doing what tea should do – making me happy and mellow.

Dragonwater’s site seems to be down today – perhaps a victim of the Black Friday cult shoppers or something. But they are normally very reasonably priced, so I’d encourage checking out the cost of this tea, if only for a sample size. I really think anyone who can appreciate the subtleties of white brews will certainly enjoy this particular cuppa.