Jasmine tea — a distinctive flavour in your cup
Eight hundred years ago, it was reserved for the wealthiest. Today, everyone can enjoy the “imperial pearl”! Jasmine tea owes its popularity to both its wonderful flavour and its valued properties. How is it made, what should you expect on your first taste, and how should it be brewed to preserve its full aroma? Let us find out.
How is jasmine tea made?
Jasmine's story is associated with Persia, from where it is said to have reached China around the third century AD. It initially caused little excitement, but that changed when jasmine and tea were combined around the fifth century.
Jasmine belongs to the olive family, with almost 200 varieties or species discussed worldwide. Tea scenting uses selected fragrant jasmine flowers, grown in places including India, China, the Philippines and Sri Lanka.
The beautiful white flowers close during the day and open at night, releasing their strongest fragrance. That rhythm determines harvesting, traditionally carried out early in the morning. Flowers are kept cool so they do not open fully too soon.
Next, they are placed with dried tea leaves so the leaves absorb the fragrance. The process generally lasts several hours and is repeated multiple times. A little dried jasmine blossom may be blended with the finished leaves.
Types of jasmine tea and their qualities
Green jasmine tea
The best-known version combines green-tea leaves with jasmine. Its infusion can be gently orange-tinted, subtle and pleasant. Its polyphenols provide antioxidant activity, attracting interest in ageing and cancer research, while the aromatic experience is valued for relaxation.
White jasmine tea
Many consider this among the most delicious teas. White tea is delicate on its own; jasmine creates an especially subtle composition with little bitterness.
Some versions come as small rolled pearls containing jasmine petals. Their shape adds visual charm and intrigue. The infusion is very pale, almost transparent.
Made from young leaves and buds, white tea is valued for its antioxidants. Combined with jasmine, it has a reputation as an “elixir of youth”. Learn more in White tea — do you know enough about it?
Black jasmine tea
This suits fans of traditional black tea. The black-tea flavour dominates, while jasmine provides a gentler floral finish. Its caffeine makes it an energising choice. If black tea is your favourite, why not try a version with a delicate flower aroma?
How to brew jasmine tea
Careful preparation brings out the flavour and valued compounds. Use these starting guidelines:
- Green jasmine tea: water at 80°C, around three minutes.
- White jasmine tea: water at 70°C, around five to seven minutes.
- Black jasmine tea: water up to 100°C, around two or three minutes.
Jasmine tea needs no sweetener. You can add sugar, honey, apple syrup, orange or a few drops of lemon, but jasmine already creates an impression of sweetness. Drinking it plain is the best way to appreciate the distinctive flavour that has been admired for centuries.