Available online only.

Tightly rolled two-tone leaves, bitter greens, and a tinge of pine in the aroma. The cup has a character of an untrampled forest floor: not bitter, not sweet, not biting, but not subtle. Dark, quiet, cooling, and even-keeled. 

Produced by Mr. Liu Zhi Jing on April 8, 2022, it gets its name from the green needle appearance. Produced primarily of buds only (though a little bit of leaf can be found, too) from plants growing at approximately 4,200 feet, it comes from Anhua county in Hunan province and is made from the Bi Xiang Zao cultivar, which is the most widely used cultivar in the region. Mr. Liu is besting 60 years old now and his annual output of this tea is diminishing.

Ingredients: green tea

Steeping Instructions

4 grams | 10-12 oz water | 175°F | Steep 3 min. 

Traditional Steeping

Use 5 grams of tea in 150ml gaiwan using 190°F water:

• Rinse - 10 seconds (discard this steep)
• 1^st Steep – 15  seconds
• 2^nd Steep – 10 seconds
• 3^rd Steep – 20 seconds
• 4^th Steep – 40 seconds
• 5^th Steep – 1 min 20 sec

Number of Cups

2 oz makes 19 cups, 4 oz makes 38 cups