The most precious. A peak of refinement. A tea fit for an Emperor. An extraordinary mystique surrounds Chinaâ??s Silver Needle. That it is rare, there is no doubt. Only the silvery buds of selected tea bushes are picked for it, and only during a few days in early spring. But I learned long ago that rare doesnâ??t necessarily mean good. Exclusive and expensive are words that appeal to fashion-conscious people who often lack the tools to make up their mind by themselves. Now, I have many shortcomings, but the desperate need to belong to any jet set doesnâ??t number among them. Which is probably why I had never had the urge to try it until the tour started and I felt I could hardly skip the cream of Chinaâ??s crop.

Still, Silver Needle is universally celebrated as the worldâ??s best white tea and it is with respectful curiosity that I approached it today. I got a small sample from Special Teas and brewed it by steeping two soup spoons in 6oz steaming water for two minutes. It yielded a pale golden cup with a lovely scent of herbs and sweet flowers. It was sweet in the mouth too, but with some herby and nutty notes at the end. All very delicate, though, very mild. Hints, suggestions, impressions, rather than flavors. Which immediately brought to mind Berthe Morisot in her more intimate paintings.

The second steep had a slightly stronger herby accent but was still very elegant and restrained, confirming the first impression. This is a brew for a quiet meditation on an early spring afternoon, when the sun is still cool.

A good tea? Yes. The best in the world? Not by a long shot.