Charcoal Roasted Silver Needle

Charcoal Roasted Silver Needle (白毫銀針, Bái Háo Yín Zhēn, "White Hair Silver Needle") - Silver Needle is the most well-known category of White Tea. One might be surprised if Silver Needle was not sold, because the Tea Tavern's keeper prefers white most of the time.

From Fuding, Fujian, the home of White Tea, Bái Háo Yín Zhēn is the dān yá 單芽 ("single bud") harvest obtained in the early spring, before the buds fully open. Like all single bud teas, it is considered the most premium segment of the harvest and is therefore highly valued.
A consequence of this high value, however, is overproduction. The majority of Silver Needle available on the market is more focused on the appearance than the taste or quality of the tea. 

Before you begin your quest in tasting this tea:
First, despite the title "Charcoal Roasted Silver Needle", we do not detect any charcoal flavoring in the tea.
Second, different sources describe different caffeine contents for this tea.
Some say "it is a white, and thus has the least".
Some say "These are the young leaf buds, thus need more resources, thus have the most caffeine".
Thus, we do not know the true answer, and may one day need an alchemist to help test the answer. Should you be a master alchemist with an interest and the know how to determine and compare caffeine contents of teas, we have a quest for you!
To get in contact, email quests(a)tea-tavern.com

Source: Li Yanmei, a Fuding-based tea farmer and tea master. She produces this substantial and robust Yín Zhēn from high-altitude patches. 

Gaiwan Notes:

The tavern keeper's original favorite tea was Silver Needle. When merchants first purposed tea to the tavern keeper, one that stuck out was Silver Needle. It seems the flavors that come to mind for Silver Needle changed along with age, and as more patrons talked about it, the more unusual it became. Some felt there was a grassy flavor, others a fruity, and some speculated that the flavor of the same batch would somewhat alter with someone else brewing. Generally, some amount of fruitiness, similar to green apples or pears are present. All tend to agree, however, that the flavor is indeed something complex. and might even affect people differently.
For example: something that nobody but the tavern keeper feels is a sensation that can reside on the tongue after drinking that is a mixture of mint and fruit.

Papa's Notes:

The tea has nice scents to it with a delicate, buttery, vegital flavor that is easy to drink.
It has interesting complex notes that are compelling to individuals who prefer lighter, less hearty (such as pu-erh) teas.

Notes From West China:
For most of my life, I thought that I didn't like Silver Needle, because, to me, it tasted like water. I didn't start to actually love Silver Needle until I was introduced to Li Yanmei, a Fuding-based tea farmer and tea master who also introduced me to the world of aged white teas. If you find yourself underwhelmed by the flavor and fragrance of Silver Needle that you've tried before, this may be the one to win you over, as it did me. 
Silver needle tastes of green apple, and a slight hint of cinnamon, bask in a soft floral fragrance, with a downy, pale gold liquor. The Qi of this tea is clean, bright, and euphoric.