#122 Assam Silver Needles

From the humid, tropical Brahmaputra Valley, bordering the Himalayas in northeastern India, comes this early-spring, all-bud Silver Needles from Gingia Tea Estate, which dates back to the 1950s.

The Assam region is famous as the home of the bold, tannic, malty Assam black tea that people often take with milk because of its intensity. As you can imagine, this tea is its exact opposite: delicate, sweet, and floral.

Silver Needles is widely regarded as the pinnacle of white tea. Its production follows the highest standards. Only perfect buds are hand-picked, and they are handled with  exceptional care. All-bud white teas like this are among the most labor-intensive in the world. The result is a tea of extraordinary purity, minimally processed, gently withered, and dried to preserve its natural character.

While Silver Needles, and all white tea, originated in China, this one is made with the
local Camellia sinensis var. assamica plant. That, combined with the region’s tropical
climate, gives this Silver Needles a slightly richer body, a subtle honeyed depth, and a
gentle warmth beneath the floral elegance.

In the cup, these downy buds unfurl slowly, releasing a liquor of a surprising pinkish
gold that turns more mandarin in later steepings. It’s a luminous tea with varied herbal
aromatics that also evoke walnuts, fall leaves, and apple purée. On the palate it is soft
and sweet, without the bite we associate with Assam, carrying notes of cantaloupe
melon and pine nuts.

Origin: Gingia, Brahmaputra Valley, Assam, India

Harvest: April, 2026

Color of liquor: golden

Aroma: fresh, walnuts, fall leaves, apple purée

Flavor: soft and sweet with notes of cantaloupe and pine nuts.

Temperature: 85-90º c

Steeping Time: 1min; 1,5min; 2min; 3min  (4gr/120ml)