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!)