Jasmine Silver Needle White Tea Bags

So proud are JING of their jasmine-scented offerings that the flower actually has its own category listing. Now that is love. While I can't share their adulation for jasmine in general, I will nod in approval at the combination of jasmine and Silver Needle. Past blends of these two I've tried met with palate approval. The two flavors just mix well.

The aroma of the pyramid sachet plumed its blunt, blossomy goodness. Luckily, it wasn't overbearing like some jasmine greens I've had the misfortune of coming across. (Note to Tea Blenders: Strong jasmine scenting does NOT cover a poor-grade, vegetal green tea. It makes it worse.) I couldn't smell the Silver Needle aspect at all, but honestly, white tea doesn't have much of a scent to begin with. Especially Yinzhen.

Brewing for this was simple and laid out per the vendor website; 1 teabag to 1 cup (likely 8oz) of hot water for up to three minutes. They did not stress a temperature observence, but to be on the safeside I went with 165F. Jasmine - if done wrong - could be powerfully pungent. Some like that sort of thing, I don't. I prefer it understated, and as such, brewed 8oz for two-minutes-thirty.

After the conservative steep time, it brewed to a..."kinda" green color. One would have to really be looking to see it. I had my glasses on, thankfully. Silver Needle usually yields a pale infusion, but this was alarmingly so. The scent, however, was the exact opposite. It was a wallop of jasmine petal potency. Even by scented green tea standards, let alone white. The taste relieved me quite a bit. It, of course, had the floral "Falcon Punch" to it but settled into a berry-ish tone that was rather pleasant. White teas sometimes do take on fruit or berry notes alone with some residual nuttiness, usually when brewed exactly right. Going with the two-minute-thirty median paid off perfectly.

This is the second (or third?) JING bag I've given a nine (or above?) to. I'm starting to look biased. Cut it out, guys.