I'm not a huge fan of silver needle; I thought this was above average for its type but I would still strongly prefer other teas, even other white teas, both because of price and characteristics of the cup.

Dry leaf, consisting exclusively of whole, intact tips, has a melony aroma with a slight hint of caramel, but is more tea-like than other silver needle. I found it more pleasant than normal for this style.

Brews a very clear cup, with a mild and smooth flavor. The dominant aroma is of green melon, like honeydew. There's also a hint of an aroma like straw or freshly cut grass, different from the grassy quality in green tea.

Finish is slightly astringent.

Good overall, but not terribly interesting, and relatively weak in aroma. I tend not to like Silver Needle, because it is too weak and too subtle for me, and too expensive...but this was a decent example of one...I think above average in quality. Still, the best Silver Needle teas I've tried have not been Chinese--they've been produced in other regions and had a bolder flavor.

I preferred a single, long steeping. Wegmans recommends a steeping temperature of 180-190 but I think 180 is too low (leading to too bland a cup), and I noticed nothing lost if brewed with boiling water. If you like a more delicate cup (which I don't), briefer steepings might make sense.

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