Jasmine Tea Organic, luxury in a cup
Posted by Gaynor Birkhead on
A fragrant jasmine and certified organic green tea. A particular favourite with some of us here at the uklooseleafteacompany. A Chinese green tea base, scented with jasmine blossom, culminating in a sweet and fragrant tea; reputedly to be the most famous scented tea in China. The Jasmine plant itself is reputed to have been introduced to China from Persia through India (the reputed tea originations never fail to amaze) allegedly during the Han Dynasty and was used to scent teas around the fifth century! The popular use of Jasmine tea did not catch on until the commencment of tea exportation on a larger scale to the West, around the Quing Dynasty. The Jasmine plant is cultivated at high elevations in the Chinese provinces. Vietnam and Japan are also known producers of Jasmine tea. The tea leaves are gathered in the early spring and stored until the latter end of the summer season, when fresh Jasime flowers are in blossom. Jasmine flowers are gathered early in the day whilst still in bud. The flowers are kept cooled until nightfall, during the night the flowers open and release their heady fragrance, this is when the scenting of the tea commences. It takes approximately four and a half hours for the tea to absorb the scent and flavour of the blossom and maybe repeated up to seven times for higher grades. The drying of the tea is then repeated, drying out the moisture from the scenting process and sealing in the fragrance and flavour. Brew for two minutes, pour, close your eyes, relax and be transported to a faraway place (metaphorically speaking of course).