Extensive Range
Choose from our huge range of loose leaf teas, carefully selected from around the world
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Subtly sweet and wonderfully fragrant, Jasmine tea is created through a careful process of picking closed jasmine flowers in the late summer afternoons, carefully storing them until they begin to open in the evening, and blending them to sit overnight. The delicate, complex flavours and outstanding aromas are brought to life as the jasmine flowers begin to bloom, making for a very special cup of tea.
Ingredients
Semi-Green Tea
Allergens
While we try to keep to the strictest standards in our treatment of allergens, please be aware that our factory handles nuts, milk and soy ingredients. Please check our ingredients lists for specific information on each tea.
Your Guide to Jasmine Tea
Jasmine tea is arguably the most famous scented tea in China and is known for its perfumed and floral aromas. Jasmine tea is so loved that in northern China it is customary to serve a cup of it as a welcoming gesture to guests.
A number of jasmine teas come from Fujian Province, which produces white tea with jasmine, Jasmine Silver Hair, Jasmine Raindrops and Jasmine Spring Hao Ya, while Sichuan Province is home to Jasmine Snowflakes tea. Ornate rolled teas such as Dragon Pearls and Jasmine Raindrops have become particularly popular among Western tea lovers.
Sections
- The History of Jasmine Tea
- How Jasmine Tea is Produced
- Types of Jasmine Tea
- Reviews of Jasmine Tea
- FAQs
The History of Jasmine Tea
The jasmine bush that provides the fragrant flowers for jasmine tea is not actually indigenous to China, but it is believed to have long been grown there after being brought from Persia during the Period of Disunity, between 220 and 589. The town of Changle and its surrounding area became especially well known for the production of jasmine flowers, with bushes planted in abundance throughout the area.
In the centuries that followed, jasmine tea became a speciality of northern Fujian Province, likely from around the Ming Dynasty, between 1368 and 1644. During this time, a wide range of scented teas made from fragrant flower blossoms were enjoyed across China, including chrysanthemum, gardenia, osmanthus, rose and magnolia. Jasmine tea grew to such a level of renown that early Chinese tea masters were often responsible for experimenting with and mastering the process of producing it.
Jasmine scented tea became especially prized by emperors and was offered as a gift to dignitaries visiting China. Combined with the movement of other Chinese goods across the early trade routes, this helped increase international awareness of the tea. That widespread awareness also inspired certain scented teas favoured by Russians and peoples of the Near East.
While there are many varieties of jasmine plant, it is Arabian jasmine, or Jasmine sambac, that is used in jasmine tea to give the drink its wonderful floral aroma.
How Jasmine Tea is Produced
Jasmine tea is made in two steps. A base tea is first created, before fragrant jasmine blossoms are added to make the finished tea, through a process known as hongqing. In Fujian, this jasmine base tea, known as zao, is made from leaf freshly plucked during the spring season, which is then rolled after de-enzyming has taken place.
The leaf is then dried using indirect rather than direct heat, by blowing warm air over it in a drying machine. Through this indirect heating process, the leaves begin to curl, leaving more surface area exposed and thereby increasing their ability to absorb the scent of jasmine once the blossoms are introduced.
Once the base tea has been prepared, it is stored in cool storage until the summer, when the jasmine blossoms become available. These blossoms are usually picked between July and September, with those picked in July often being the most fragrant. The blossoms are ideally gathered around noon, when any lingering dew from the night has evaporated. Gatherers tend to judge quality using two criteria: the length of the flower shaft and the colour of the blossom, which changes from ivory to white.
Once these jasmine blossoms are added to the tea base, the finished jasmine tea is created and scented with the delicate jasmine aromas.
Types of Jasmine Tea
Jasmine tea is produced in a range of varieties, each with its own nuanced flavours and aromas.
Jasmine Tea
Subtly sweet and wonderfully fragrant, Jasmine Tea is created through a careful process of picking closed jasmine flowers in the late summer afternoons, carefully storing them until they begin to open in the evening and blending them to sit overnight.
Dragon Phoenix Pearl Jasmine Tea
Sourced from Fujian Province, this exquisite tea is prepared using the large white buds of jasmine flowers, which are picked and hand-rolled into incredible pearl shapes. These buds are then gently perfumed more than five times with aromatic jasmine flowers.
Jasmine Blossom Green Tea
Sourced from the Wuyi Mountains in Fujian Province, Jasmine Blossom Green Tea is a slightly sweet and delicate green tea that makes for a very relaxing drink. Made with blossom, it reveals a lovely flowery aroma with leafy undertones.
Jasmine Flower Tea
Made from jasmine flowers and jasmine petals, and sourced from Fujian Province in China, this very mild yet delicately flavoured tea is caffeine-free, so it can be enjoyed at any time of the day.
Lichee Jasmine Green Tea
A luxury green tea made from jasmine blossom and dried lychee, sourced from Hunan in China. Light jasmine scents combine with sweet fruity flavours and lovely floral notes.
Reviews of Jasmine Tea
Below is a selection of comments from customers who have enjoyed some jasmine tea varieties.
Jasmine Tea
“This tea is delicious and full of delicate flavours. Will be buying again for sure. Fast delivery, great communication and good packaging.”
“The best jasmine tea I have tasted so far, promptly delivered. I will re-order very soon.”
“Excellent price, excellent product, excellent service.”
Jasmine Blossom Green Tea
“Great green tea, beautiful flavours.”
Lichee Jasmine Green Tea
“Light tea with subtle flavour, very refreshing.”
Jasmine Flower Tea
“I’ve been searching for original jasmine flower tea for a few years ever since one of my Chinese students gave me some and this is certainly the real thing.”
FAQs
What does jasmine tea taste like?
The flavours of jasmine tea are delicate and complex, balancing beautifully with the intoxicating jasmine aromas. There are nuanced variations across the different varieties of jasmine tea and the base tea used to create each type, but they generally reveal sweet floral notes and a fresh, clean finish.
How should I prepare jasmine loose leaf tea?
Jasmine tea should be prepared using fresh water, ideally filtered tap water or bottled spring water. Heat your teapot and cup by filling them with hot water and carefully pouring it away. Water used to steep jasmine tea should ideally not quite have reached boiling point, so aim for a temperature of around 80°C.
Add 2 to 3 teaspoons of loose leaf jasmine tea to your pot of heated water and allow the leaves to steep for around 3 minutes before straining off the tea leaves as you pour the tea into your warmed cup.
Where can I buy the best jasmine tea?
When sourcing jasmine tea online, there is a wide range of high-quality options available, from classic jasmine teas to jasmine green teas and caffeine-free jasmine flower teas.
We deliver across the UK and to selected EU countries using Royal Mail and DPD. Available delivery options and charges are shown at checkout. Our standard delivery service takes 1–3 working days.
Some third-party supplied products may have different delivery times and costs, which will be clearly shown at checkout.
Some equipment may be shipped directly from the manufacturer. Where this applies, full delivery details will be provided at checkout.
All of our teas remain fresh unopened for up to 12 months.