Scenting tea with jasmine flowers began in China over 1,000 years ago. Delicate and refreshing, the floral flavor of jasmine can be combined with all types of tea bases or herbal botanicals to create an herbal tisane. No matter what type of tea serves as the base, jasmine tea is distinct for its flowery aroma and refreshing, natural taste. Creating jasmine tea requires the labor-intensive harvesting of jasmine buds by hand, just as they are ready to blossom; the buds are then stored in a cool place until the petals open. During the scenting process, the open buds are layered with tea leaves as the jasmine fragrance is released and combined with the leaves. Creating jasmine tea is a time-consuming process that requires years of experience and honed craftsmanship. The result is a one-of-a-kind tea-drinking experience cherished by the Chinese and tea drinkers around the globe. To learn more, check out Jasmine Tea 101.
Jasmine Tea
Jasmine tea is tea scented with jasmine blossoms, and the fragrance comes from fresh flowers rather than added flavor. Ours comes from Fujian Province in China, where the tea is picked in spring and held until the jasmine blooms in summer, then layered with fresh blossoms night after night until the leaves have taken on the scent. The base is usually a green tea, which is why jasmine tea brews pale and fresh, with a sweetness that needs no sugar.
Dragon Pearl Jasmine is the one most people know us for: green tea and white tea buds hand-rolled into small pearls in Fuan, scented with jasmine, sweet and intensely floral in the cup. Jasmine Tea is the classic, a jasmine-scented green tea in loose leaf, sachets, and teabags. Organic Jasmine is the certified organic version, Jasmine Silver Needles carries the scent on white tea buds for an exceptionally light cup, and Black Jasmine puts the flowers on a black tea. Brew the green and white ones with 175°F water for about three minutes, and Black Jasmine with boiling water for five.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is jasmine tea?
Jasmine tea is tea that has been scented with jasmine blossoms. The base is usually a green tea, or a lightly oxidized tea close to green that the Chinese call pouchong, and the scent is absorbed from the flowers rather than added as a flavoring. It has been made in China for centuries, and the best of it comes from Fujian Province, where ours is made. In the cup it is pale, fresh, and floral, with a natural sweetness.
How is jasmine tea scented?
The tea is picked in spring and stored until the jasmine blooms in summer. Jasmine buds are picked in the afternoon and open in the evening, so the scenting happens at night: the flowers are layered with the tea and left together for hours while the blossoms release their fragrance into the leaves. The spent flowers are sifted out and fresh ones added over several days, and the finest teas are scented many times. At the end the blossoms are blown out with fans, which is why a good jasmine tea is mostly leaf; Dragon Pearl Jasmine is scented before, during, and after the leaves are rolled into pearls.
Does jasmine tea have caffeine?
Yes. Jasmine tea is real tea, so it carries the caffeine of its base. Our tea pages put a cup of Dragon Pearl Jasmine at about 40 to 60 mg, the same range as our black teas, and Jasmine Silver Needles and Black Jasmine are caffeinated too. For a cup with no caffeine, choose one of our herbal infusions.
How do I brew jasmine tea?
Use one teaspoon of loose tea, or one sachet, per cup. Heat the water to 175°F, pour it over the leaves, and steep for about three minutes; Black Jasmine, on its black tea base, takes boiling water for five. For a stronger cup, add more tea rather than more time. For iced jasmine tea, brew it double strength, twice the tea for the same water, and pour it over a tall glass of ice.
How do I make jasmine milk tea?
Brew a jasmine tea a little stronger than usual, with 175°F water for about three minutes, and stir in a sweetener such as honey while the tea is hot so it dissolves. Add milk to taste, then drink it hot or pour it over ice. Choose a mild milk and sweetener, because anything with a strong flavor of its own competes with the jasmine. Our post on jasmine milk tea has the full method, including the boba version.
Which jasmine tea should I start with?
Dragon Pearl Jasmine, which is the one our customers come back to: hand-rolled pearls that unfurl in the cup, sweet and very floral, and it comes in loose leaf and sachets. For teabags, Jasmine Tea is the classic jasmine green tea. If you like a lighter cup, Jasmine Silver Needles puts the scent on white tea buds, and if you drink black tea, Black Jasmine is the one for you.