Organic Jasmine Silver Needle

Silver Needle — Baiháo Yínzhēn in Mandarin — is made exclusively from the unopened bud of the tea plant. No leaves. Just the bud, covered in fine white hairs (pekoe) that give it the characteristic silvery appearance. It's the most labor-intensive white tea grade to produce, which is part of why it's also the most prized. The dense, tightly closed buds release their flavor slowly.

Our Jasmine Silver Needle takes that bud and runs it through the same jasmine scenting process we use for Jasmine Green: fresh organic jasmine flowers are layered with the tea and removed. The process is repeated to build aroma into the bud. The result is a white tea with jasmine present but not dominating — the delicacy of the silver needle base stays intact. Lighter in body than Jasmine Green, with a natural sweetness that intensifies across multiple steeps.

This lot is sourced from Hubei Province rather than the traditional Fuding/Fujian Silver Needle heartland. The big-leaf Hubei varietal produces buds with more body than the classic Fujian grade — a slightly fuller cup with the same delicate, floral character.

Brewing: 200°F water, 3 minutes 30 seconds, 1 teaspoon (2g) per 8 oz cup. Mike makes a full 32-oz pot in the morning and re-steeps it through the day — good for three or four rounds, adding 30 seconds with each. Very low caffeine makes it suitable for evening.

Sourcing: Hubei Province, USDA Organic. Both tea and jasmine flowers organically grown. Special Lot — excluded from promotions, limited availability.

What does Jasmine Silver Needle taste like?

Subtle, fruity, and floral — the jasmine is present but doesn't overwhelm the silver needle base. Samuel describes "almost a bubble gum sweetness" from the combination. Jessica finds it "goes down really smooth and soothes" her before bed. Cheryl: "relaxing and soul pleasing." Lighter and more delicate than Jasmine Green.

How is this different from Jasmine Green?

Jasmine Green uses a pan-fired green tea base — bolder, more presence, slightly more caffeine. Jasmine Silver Needle uses bud-only white tea — lighter, more delicate, lower caffeine, higher price. The jasmine scenting process is the same; the difference is entirely in the base tea. If Jasmine Green is the everyday workhorse, this is the Sunday morning cup.

How much caffeine does it have?

Very low — around 10–15mg per 8 oz cup. Less than a cup of decaf coffee. A cup before bed is fine for most people.

How many re-steeps do I get?

Three or four solid ones. Lindsey finds it "surprisingly resilient, with enhanced flavor even after multiple infusions." Mike recommends making a full 32-oz pot in the morning and re-steeping through the day.

What's the white fuzz on the leaves?

That's pekoe — fine hairs on the young tea bud that the plant naturally produces. It's preserved on silver needle because the bud is never rolled or fired in a way that would flatten it. It's a quality indicator, not a defect.