Bai Hao Yin Zhen is the most joyous experience I have had in my 65 years! People only use other drugs because they don't know how to experience the silver needle. Food and sex are way down the list. I reserve the white tea for my two hour Sunday tea meditation gong fu. Absolutely every thing you noted is true. One BECOMES one with the tea and the tao as I always observe and as you also remarked. This tea makes me laugh. A lot! Like Don says if you don't get a dozen steepings out of this tea then you are leaving too much behind. One should reserve two hours for this experience and we all deserve it as Don says every time. Yes, the taste is great in all the ways you mention, the body sensations are there, and the sensations of the mind are like a door into a joyous celebration of one's existence. Have your water colors handy for some zen painting and the chime music. Don has sacrificed all this during this session in order to share with us the nirvana of the silver needle. See the suffering and let it go, Come into the present. Observe the well being. BUT like all pleasant sensations it is best to rest from it for a while and experience it anew. That is why I reserve this for a weekly treat! Don is the bodhisattva of the tea. His wisdom is righteous!
Received a pouch this morning! Immaculate furry buds. I like it- juicy, no charcoal taste,very sweet- I am getting a sweet celery taste (?). Very cooling in the mouth. My main goal is to age 100 grams for several years. Thanks Guys!
5:23 The picture is actually of a similar candy called "Beijinho" (something like little kiss) that is flavored with coconut. The "Brigadeiro" uses the same base preparation of condensed milk though (so the analogy is still valid) but it's flavored with chocolate. They both appear side by side during birthday parties around here :) If someone is curious here is some wiki links: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brigadeiro en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beijinho
I am on vacation in London and I visited your shop today, I was really impressed and bought lots of tea. It looked so professional, definitely the best tea shop I have ever been!! Bought some duck shit and other teas, can't wait to get home and try them! Also I have to say the people working in the store were extremely nice!
Oh yes I would like to see darjeeling tasting too. Don doesn't taste teas out of China and Japan and it's a little bit sad, because nowdays darjeeling teas are sometimes at the same quality level as Chinese teas. They are the hidden gem 😌
Drinking 2017 silver needle, loving how age mellows it out. Can’t wait to receive my pouch and let it accompany me a few years! (If it survives that long). Thank you for the midweek treat!
Marianne I got a pouch also! Have never aged Tea buds! What would be your recommendations in storing this loose leaf for a few years? Like Puerh? In a plastic Bag?Thanks for any information.
Joseph Troyer hi Joseph, Congratulations! Actually I was thinking more like tins or breathable zisha. I’ve been aging some of last year’s baimudan in Zisha, and my silver needle is in a tin. I just don’t like keeping things in plastic too long, I fear transfer of plastic smell & molecules into my tea. On the other hand, I’m afraid that most tea farmers use plastic jute bags, so probably enough micro plastic and chemical fumes will have landed in tea 🙈🙈🙈 The more I learn, the more difficult it is to get tea in a purity I imagine should be the case. Reality seems so clashingly different. Sometimes, I really wish I could control every step under my own supervision. From the soil to the tea in my cup. Dreams! Sorry for the digression. Tin or zisha or porcelain containers should be fine. You will always have some air to oxidize. Keep cool and out of the sun. That’s it. Good luck!
Hi I come to understand you could actually see the silver need in the tea during the first pour. Can we actually drink the first pour with the needle from the tea leaves in the liquid can make a video to show and explain a bit more?
@@MeiLeaf I purchased a pouch from you and it arrived last week. This is truly a wonderful tea - one that gets more interesting the more you focus on it. Best to reserve a block of time to dedicate to it rather than space it out over the day. But I confess I wish my palate was as sophisticated as Don's. I suspect you have to be a "super taster" to get all of that from it. Or ... maybe my preparation is lacking something. I brew gong fu with a nice gaiwan and a stegg but generally pour straight into a nice porcelain mug rather than a gong dao bei and a sipping cup. Does using the latter two make a difference in the experience? Don almost always seems to use them ...
I actually get £0.71/100ml, based on the gongfu brewing numbers on the pack (4g/100ml gives you 7 infusions = 700ml, the whole 20g pack is x5 times = 3.5 litre, for £24.95), which is 30% cheaper than an average pint of beer in a pub. Being an heirloom-grade tea drinker still looks like a cheaper lifestyle than drinking beer 😂
@@username-yn5yo Ok just tasted this tea. Smells very nice. After infusion and like 10min later wet leaf smells like vine :D very interesting. Tastes softer more milky and sugary compared to other mei leaf silver needles. But still i will probably not buy this tea again since its very expensive, but dont get me wrong this is the best silver needle i had and will drink on special days only.
![A Deep Dive into Gongfu Tea: Red, White, and Green Tea [Teaism Ep. 2]](/img/n.gif)
Bai Hao Yin Zhen is the most joyous experience I have had in my 65 years! People only use other drugs because they don't know how to experience the silver needle. Food and sex are way down the list. I reserve the white tea for my two hour Sunday tea meditation gong fu. Absolutely every thing you noted is true. One BECOMES one with the tea and the tao as I always observe and as you also remarked. This tea makes me laugh. A lot! Like Don says if you don't get a dozen steepings out of this tea then you are leaving too much behind. One should reserve two hours for this experience and we all deserve it as Don says every time. Yes, the taste is great in all the ways you mention, the body sensations are there, and the sensations of the mind are like a door into a joyous celebration of one's existence. Have your water colors handy for some zen painting and the chime music. Don has sacrificed all this during this session in order to share with us the nirvana of the silver needle. See the suffering and let it go, Come into the present. Observe the well being. BUT like all pleasant sensations it is best to rest from it for a while and experience it anew. That is why I reserve this for a weekly treat! Don is the bodhisattva of the tea. His wisdom is righteous!
Received a pouch this morning! Immaculate furry buds. I like it- juicy, no charcoal taste,very sweet- I am getting a sweet celery taste (?). Very cooling in the mouth. My main goal is to age 100 grams for several years. Thanks Guys!
I bet you get that charcoal, darker notes when you age this tea
Oh Don...spoiling us on a Wednesday =)
5:23 The picture is actually of a similar candy called "Beijinho" (something like little kiss) that is flavored with coconut. The "Brigadeiro" uses the same base preparation of condensed milk though (so the analogy is still valid) but it's flavored with chocolate. They both appear side by side during birthday parties around here :)
If someone is curious here is some wiki links:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brigadeiro
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beijinho
When brewed it, it give a very pale, champagne-coloured liquor that has a very light, soft, sweet, velvety flavour.
I am on vacation in London and I visited your shop today, I was really impressed and bought lots of tea. It looked so professional, definitely the best tea shop I have ever been!! Bought some duck shit and other teas, can't wait to get home and try them! Also I have to say the people working in the store were extremely nice!
50K subscribers!!!! yay!!! congratulations!! :D
You always show such craveable teas!
This tea just arrived at my place and I absolutely looooovvvvvveeee it
i received my pouch of this tea yesterday and tried it this morning. So delicious - what a treat! thank you!
I wasn't expecting a video during the week 😍 this brighten my day
Hey Don I just love the way you describe the tasting note. I want you to make video on Darjeeling tea.
Oh yes I would like to see darjeeling tasting too. Don doesn't taste teas out of China and Japan and it's a little bit sad, because nowdays darjeeling teas are sometimes at the same quality level as Chinese teas. They are the hidden gem 😌
Just opened my pack and trying out the tea whilst watching the video. Such a damn fine tea indeed 😁
I bought it, can't wait to try it. Btw, I really loved the white tea trip video! :)
the beginning wake up scene on the 2nd video makes me crack up
Hurry up and deliver my order of this!!! Can not wait 😎
Looking forward to this one. Hopefully future sourcing from those two partners as well if they keep producing such amazing quality
Just bought my first batch the other day, first tea leaves I'm buying from Mei Leaf!
Gonna age this beautiful tea for sure.
Keep on bringing the best teas !!
Don bringing the goods 😁
Drinking 2017 silver needle, loving how age mellows it out. Can’t wait to receive my pouch and let it accompany me a few years! (If it survives that long). Thank you for the midweek treat!
Marianne I got a pouch also! Have never aged Tea buds! What would be your recommendations in storing this loose leaf for a few years? Like Puerh? In a plastic Bag?Thanks for any information.
Joseph Troyer hi Joseph, Congratulations! Actually I was thinking more like tins or breathable zisha. I’ve been aging some of last year’s baimudan in Zisha, and my silver needle is in a tin. I just don’t like keeping things in plastic too long, I fear transfer of plastic smell & molecules into my tea. On the other hand, I’m afraid that most tea farmers use plastic jute bags, so probably enough micro plastic and chemical fumes will have landed in tea 🙈🙈🙈 The more I learn, the more difficult it is to get tea in a purity I imagine should be the case. Reality seems so clashingly different. Sometimes, I really wish I could control every step under my own supervision. From the soil to the tea in my cup. Dreams! Sorry for the digression. Tin or zisha or porcelain containers should be fine. You will always have some air to oxidize. Keep cool and out of the sun. That’s it. Good luck!
Hi I come to understand you could actually see the silver need in the tea during the first pour. Can we actually drink the first pour with the needle from the tea leaves in the liquid can make a video to show and explain a bit more?
Super excited hoping to drop by the shop tomorrow hummm what teas to buy this time
The brewing temperature seems too high to me because I usually brew white teas at 70-80 °C. Why is that?
Oh mid week special!
Funny. I just received 2x100g packs of Silver needle tea just yesterday. What's the synergy?
Tsc Tempest going all out on the good stuff!
Any chance this will be back in stock any time soon? I missed out ...
It is being processed now but must rest and be charcoal roasted so won't be ready for a couple of months.
@@MeiLeaf I purchased a pouch from you and it arrived last week. This is truly a wonderful tea - one that gets more interesting the more you focus on it. Best to reserve a block of time to dedicate to it rather than space it out over the day. But I confess I wish my palate was as sophisticated as Don's. I suspect you have to be a "super taster" to get all of that from it. Or ... maybe my preparation is lacking something. I brew gong fu with a nice gaiwan and a stegg but generally pour straight into a nice porcelain mug rather than a gong dao bei and a sipping cup. Does using the latter two make a difference in the experience? Don almost always seems to use them ...
Pairs well with fried tofu and onions 😁
When don gives his tasting notes 😛
Would buy if I had money to spend
Do the craftsman have an Instagram?
Not sharing with Celine, are we? :D Shame on you.
4.6 euro/100ml. Like a glass of vin de maison in a mid-level restaurant. Seems more than reasonable.
Still pretty expensive silver needle, but definetly worth, must have for special days
I actually get £0.71/100ml, based on the gongfu brewing numbers on the pack (4g/100ml gives you 7 infusions = 700ml, the whole 20g pack is x5 times = 3.5 litre, for £24.95), which is 30% cheaper than an average pint of beer in a pub. Being an heirloom-grade tea drinker still looks like a cheaper lifestyle than drinking beer 😂
@@mario7027 but also most peaople dont buy this in london store and uses shipping and it cost almost same as this 20g tea just for shipping.
damn its insanely expensive. ill stick to my usual silver needle, really no matter what this one tastes like
Thats what i think too. But still i will buy 20g for testing and special days.
t0lex14 okay, tell me how you like it! :)
@@username-yn5yo Ok just tasted this tea. Smells very nice. After infusion and like 10min later wet leaf smells like vine :D very interesting. Tastes softer more milky and sugary compared to other mei leaf silver needles. But still i will probably not buy this tea again since its very expensive, but dont get me wrong this is the best silver needle i had and will drink on special days only.