Silver Needle is widely regarded as the finest white tea base, and this version layers jasmine flowers over it rather than leaving it unscented. The cup carries a floral lift with grassy undertones beneath it, and some drinkers also pick out roasted and coffee-like notes as it cools.
Ying Zhen buds are picked during the first flush, the earliest harvest of the year, running from late March into early April. White tea then goes through less oxidation than any other type, including green, which is part of why it keeps more of its natural character intact. The jasmine itself is picked by hand on summer afternoons across June, July and August, timed for after the sun has burned off the morning dew but before the buds open. Pickers hold the flowers until evening, when they open and release their scent, then layer them over the dried white tea leaves so the buds can absorb the fragrance overnight.
Caffeine runs low next to more processed teas, at roughly 15mg per serving, since white tea skips the extra factory processing that black tea goes through to raise its stimulant content. That makes it a reasonable option for anyone trying to cut back without giving up tea entirely.
To brew it, let boiled water cool to around 75°C rather than using a full boil, then steep for about three minutes and serve it plain, without milk or sweetener. Push the steeping time much past that and the cup turns bitter, so it is worth watching the clock. White tea more broadly has long been valued for its antioxidant content, and it is traditionally treated as a gentler, less processed alternative to more oxidised teas.
