China Jasmine Dragon Pearls, perfection in a cup

China Jasmine Dragon Pearls, perfection in a cup

Hand rolled Chinese Green Tea. The highest quality green tea leaves infused with a mild, pleasant Jasmine flavour. The only ingredients are Green Tea and Jasmine. Scented with aroma from Jasmine blossoms to make a perfected scented tea. Typically, jasmine tea has green the tea as the base; however, the resulting flavour of jasmine tea is subtly sweet and highly fragrant. It is the most famous scented tea in China. The Jasmine plant is believed to have been introduced into China from Persia via India during the Han Dynasty and was being used to scent tea around the fifth century. However, Jasmine tea did not become widespread until the Qing Dynasty circa 1644 and only see around 1912 when tea started to be exported in large quantities to the West. The Jasmine plant is grown at high elevations in the mountains. Although Jasmine tea is produced in many Chinese provinces, Japan and Vietnam, the Jasmine tea produced in the Chinese province of Fujian has the reputation for being the best.

The pearls are hand rolled Chinese green tea leaves which are then infused with a mild Jasmine flavour. The tea leaves are harvested in early spring and stored whilst awaiting the bloom of fresh Jasmine flowers, around late summer. The Jasmine flowers are collected during the day when the small petals are closed, they are then kept cool until nightfall. Overnight the Jasmine flowers open and release their fragrance, this is when the scenting commences. There are two main methods of scenting. One method, the tea and flowers are alternately layered and stored overnight. The tea absorbs the moisture from the Jasmine flower and is dried again to prevent spoilage. It takes several hours for the tea to absorb the scent and flavour of the Jasmine blossoms. The scenting process is repeated many times for the highest grade of Jasmine tea. The other more common method for main stream bulk production is the scent is sprayed in to a revolving drum and mixed with the tea.

As long as the leaves are still warm you can infuse 3 to 5 times.