Origin: Hunan Province, China

Plucking Season: Late Spring

Introduction: Jasmine Pearls are a fine representive of the art of handcrafted teas.

Certified Organic
White Tip Jasmine Pearls is from one of the few Certified Organic Jasmine Pearl growers in China.

Balance
In making the best Jasmine tea, it is important to correctly balance the choice of tea with the blossoms. Too strong a tea, and it will overpower the jasmine taste, too weak and the taste will be very flowery.

Select Leaves
The process in making Jasmine Pearls begins by plucking only the newly sprouted spring season leaves of the tea plant.

Extra White Tip
We work with our grower to match a ‘extra white tipped bud’, with the jasmine flowers. Although the top bud and two leaves are plucked along with the stem, the lower leaves are discarded and only the bud and long stem are retained. Using traditional bamboo trays, the buds are ‘withered’ in direct sun or over low heat to reduce moisture and make them supple and conducive to rolling.

The Art of Handrolling
Once adequate suppleness is achieved, top bud and stem are gently twisted in-between the thumb and index finger to bring the shape into that of a ‘pearl’. It takes at least 2000 pearls to make one pound of tea.

Jasmine Infusion
The rolled pearls are then heat infused with jasmine flowers and the process repeated several times to achieve the desired strength of aroma. High grade Jasmine Pearls undergo this process at least four to five times.

Season and Freshness
Although green teas are made at different times during the year, the most flavorful are typically spring plucked. Yet, the most fragrant jasmine flowers blossom in summer. A lot of skill is therefore needed by Jasmine Pearl tea makers to strike a good balance between the leaf and the flowers.

Pairing
The very fragrant, sweet and smooth Jasmine Pearls pair well with slightly spicy, savory and oily foods. It is an ideal tea for use in dessert recipes.

Flavor Profile: Light, sweet and very clear taste. Available in limited quantities due to the slow gathering process of the prized white tipped buds.

Certified Organic by: Quality Assurance International (QAI)

Brewing Suggestions