Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
This tea is available from Amoda Tea.
Tea Description:
Classic green tea leaves possessing a natural honeyed sweetness blossom with an even sweeter aroma of freshly plucked jasmine.
Learn more about subscribing to Amoda Tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I’ve had a few questionable jasmine teas lately. By questionable, I mean jasmine teas that were flavored with jasmine oil instead of scented with jasmine blossoms. When a tea is flavored with jasmine oil, the result is usually not good. I’ve tasted a few flavored jasmine teas that turned out alright but for the most part, they’re just far too perfume-y for my liking.
Fortunately, this Jasmine Mist Green Tea from Sloane Tea Company was not flavored with jasmine oil. Instead, it was scented with jasmine blossoms. This is the best way to impart jasmine essence onto the tea leaf!
The dry leaf smells like jasmine and it’s a pleasantly strong fragrance. Not too overwhelming. I also noticed that there were no jasmine petals in the blend. This is a sign of a good quality jasmine tea! The aroma of the brewed tea is a gentle jasmine note with notes of fresh, light green tea.
And that’s what I’m tasting too. The jasmine note is distinct without tasting of perfume or soap. It tastes like beautiful, exotic jasmine! It doesn’t taste like perfume oil that’s been poured over tea leaves and then brewed into a liquid that’s much more suited for bathing than it is for drinking.
The green tea is a sweet, delicately grassy taste. It’s soft and buttery and complements the lightly sweet, exquisite flavor of jasmine.
In other words, this is the good stuff, folks! I’m happy that Amoda Tea chose to include this in this month’s box – if for no other reason than to remind me what a good jasmine tea is supposed to taste like!
Thank you, Amoda!
Jasmine Green Tea from Pipers Loose Leaf Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Piper’s Loose Leaf Tea
Tea Description:
A delicate tea, our unique JASMINE blend is made with the finest Japanese Sencha (pan fired green tea), whole jasmine flower blossoms and enhanced with pure jasmine oil. Take a moment out of your day to savor its sweet aroma and classical floral tastes.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I just received the most lovely package from Piper’s Loose Leaf Tea. When I contacted them, they asked me which teas I’d be most interested in and I noticed they had a jasmine green so I told them that I usually enjoy jasmine.
So I want to start by telling you about the packaging of Piper’s Loose Leaf Tea, because I’m a sucker for awesome packaging. The teas arrive in a large muslin pouch like the one on the right. They even took the time to write a note card to me. I appreciate little gestures like that. It means a lot when a tea company takes the time to do something as simple as writing a few words onto a thank you card. It’s a simple thing to do but it means a lot and it’s something that a lot of tea companies overlook.
Note: the muslin pouch can be reused as pu-erh storage.
Inside the pouch is a bag of tea, in this case, Jasmine tea. There’s also a business-card sized card that tells you which tea it is, the description of the tea and suggested brewing parameters.
Then I read the card.
I wish I would have read the description of the tea before I told them that I like jasmine tea because this description is scaring me just a little bit. First of all, Japanese Sencha? Traditionally, a jasmine tea is made with Chinese green tea. So, I find myself puzzled by this choice. But, hey, it could still work.
But then I read this:
enhanced with pure jasmine oil
Here’s the thing. I have said (often) that the best jasmine teas are the ones that have been layered with the jasmine blossoms while they’re in the freshly harvested stage. Before they’re shipped out to us here in the states. While they’re still there in China, those tender leaves are processed with jasmine blossoms. They are scented with the essence of jasmine. They aren’t flavored with jasmine oil.
I love flavored tea. I’ve enjoyed many a flavored tea and I’m working to take over a tea company that specializes in making a brand new flavored tea every week, so you know I’m not one to turn my nose up on a flavored tea.
But there are some oils that should never be used on teas. One of them is jasmine oil. This is an essential oil that is used for perfumes and similar uses. Not for tea. Never for tea. Using jasmine oil on a tea turns a perfectly good tea into something that tastes of perfume.
On the other hand, a scented jasmine tea (that is, the tea that’s been layered with the jasmine blossoms) doesn’t taste of perfume. It tastes lightly, delicately, beautifully of jasmine. It’s a sweet and exotic taste but not soapy or perfume-ish.
So I sit here, before I’ve even brewed the tea, in turmoil and worry. Fearful that I’m about to brew a cup of perfume. But it’s not like it’s going to kill me. I might as well give it a try.
To brew this tea, I used my Breville One-Touch. I added 2 bamboo scoops of tea to the basket and 500ml of water to the jug. Then I set the parameters: since I could see that this was indeed a Japanese Sencha, I set the temperature to 170°F and the timer for 1 minute.
I also thought that by setting the timer for just 1 minute, that maybe I wouldn’t get too much of the jasmine ‘oil’ (aka perfume) taste and maybe just get some of the jasmine essence that I want from a Jasmine tea.
And I was right. I got just enough of the Sencha flavor from the 1 minute steep and not too much of the jasmine oil. I get a light, jasmine-y flavor without a perfume-y taste.
The Sencha is light and buttery. Smooth and not overly astringent. It isn’t bitter or too grassy.
Given all my misgivings and uncertainty about this blend, this is actually pretty good when prepared according to the above parameters. It made me a little curious about if I had steeped it for the suggested 2 minutes.
In the meantime, I’m happy enough with this cup of tea that I thought I’d try a second infusion of the leaves, adding 30 seconds onto the steep time. With the second infusion, I started to pick up on more jasmine oil. It didn’t taste perfume-y, exactly, but it tasted like maybe someone put a drop of jasmine oil in my Japanese Sencha and I didn’t really enjoy it. I much prefer a scented jasmine.
Overall, this is alright. It’s drinkable, but it’s not something I’d recommend.
Jasmine Oolong Tea from Tea Ave.
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Tea Avenue (to be opening soon!)
Tea Description:
Jasmine Oolong is a flower tea with an inviting floral scent and a clean, strong taste. The flavor of jasmine blossoms overlaying earthy Oolong undertones.
Taster’s Review:
So, this review is a little bit unusual because the company – Tea Avenue – hasn’t yet opened it’s online store. (They should be opening soon!)
A few months ago, I was approached by Tea Ave. about reviewing some of their Oolong teas on our blog. When the package arrived a couple of days ago, I was astonished by it! Tucked inside the large box that DHL delivered was this cool tote bag – this is the size that you’d use to tote your groceries home so this bag will be reassigned to grocery duty!
Inside the bag were three sample size pouches of tea: Alishan Jin Xuan Oolong (a favorite of mine!), Magnolia Oolong (yay!) and this Jasmine Oolong!
Also inside the bag was an introductory letter and a gift card for $15 off the next purchase of $75 dollars or more … and a beautiful, white pearlescent box that opened to reveal a gorgeous aroma cup set with tray! Wow!
I felt like I won a prize or something!
And because they sent me not one but TWO of these marvelous introductory gifts, I have an extra one to share with one of my lucky readers! Keep reading for details on how to win!
But in the meantime, let me tell you about this tea!
Jasmine Oolong! I’ve tried a few Jasmine Oolong teas in the past, and I’ve enjoyed most of those that I’ve tried. To brew this, I grabbed my gaiwan. Following a quick 15 second rinse, I steeped the first infusion for 1 minute in water heated to 175°F. I added 15 seconds onto each subsequent infusion.
My first cup (the combination of infusions 1 and 2) was absolutely delightful to sip. The flavor is distinctly jasmine, but I love that it isn’t at all perfume-y. Floral – yes, and quite floral at that. There is a perfect balance between creamy notes from the Ali Shan Oolong and the sweet floral notes from the Jasmine.
My second cup (the combination of infusions 3 and 4) is stronger in flavor than the first cup was, but there is still a really pleasing balance between the flavor of jasmine and the creamy notes of the AliShan Oolong. The cup is more floral this time: the jasmine notes are mingling with the natural floral notes of the Oolong tea, and the AliShan is delightfully creamy and smooth. The flavors aren’t bitter or sharp. Just smooth and relaxing and oh-so-delightful.
This seems to be about as perfect as it can get: my favorite Oolong tea combined with my favorite floral for a tea – jasmine! It’s such a remarkable tea!
My third cup (infusions 5 and 6) is a little less balanced versus cups one and two. I still get a pleasant jasmine note and a lovely flavor from the Oolong, but these flavors have become more mellow. It’s a smoother cup – more creamy while the jasmine is a little less focused. Still wonderful though – so I highly recommend going for that third cup!
PLEASE NOTE: THIS CONTEST IS OVER AND A WINNER HAS BEEN SELECTED. THANK YOU FOR VISITING OUR BLOG AND PLEASE KEEP CHECKING BACK. WE DO FREQUENT GIVEAWAYS!
Now, as promised, I’m going to offer my second ‘gift set’ from Tea Ave. to one of my readers!
This contest will run from today (February 15th) through Saturday, February 21st. On February 22, I will select a winner by random draw using Random.org.
The gift set includes: three samples of Oolong teas from Tea Avenue, along with a gift card for $15 dollars off your next purchase form Tea Ave., a gift boxed porcelain aroma set with oak tray and a durable tote bag suitable for reuse (as a grocery bag, a book bag, or whatever you want to use it for!)
To enter for your chance to win, you just need to comment below. Be sure to include a way to get in touch with you if you’re the lucky winner! If I’m unable to contact the winner within three days, I will need to conduct another random draw.
Want extra entries? Of course! Who doesn’t? Here are a few easy peasy ways to earn extra entries:
- To earn another entry, follow Tea Avenue and SororiTea Sisters on twitter.
- Like Tea Avenue and SororiTea Sisters on Facebook.
- Tweet this contest – and be sure to link it – on Twitter. After you’ve done this, be sure to send us a link to the tweet so that we can check it out!
- Mention this contest on Facebook – and be sure to link it! After you’ve done this, be sure to send us a link to check it out!
That’s it … four simple ways to earn four extra entries to win this amazing gift set!
Hawaiian Ginger Jasmine from Swan Sisters
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Tea Information:
The word exotic comes to mind when we sip this tea. Naturally sweet, exquisite and mellow Jasmine pearls livened up with spicy ginger and zesty citrus. The ginger is grown on an organic farm in Maui. The Dragon Pearls are infused with jasmine flowers six times when the jasmine pearls are made. This tea is a permanent favourite.
This tea is available from Amoda Tea.
Learn more about subscribing to Amoda Tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Oh wow! This is really nice!
The ginger hits the palate first. The first few sips are really all about ginger with a light note of green tea in the background. But it isn’t an overly spicy or zesty ginger flavor. It doesn’t bite you, it’s a gentle, peppery warmth from the ginger.
After the first couple of sips, I pick up on the jasmine. Sweet and soft jasmine notes that offer a really lovely contrast to the heat of the ginger.
The green tea is a soft background note. It’s light and sweet with hints of creaminess. Not exactly ‘buttery’ but more of a soft, creamy texture that also translates to a slightly creamy taste. It’s not an overly grassy or herbaceous green tea flavor. It’s delicate and light, the same type of green tea taste you’d experience from a top quality jasmine pearl tea.
Which is what this appears to be – it’s a jasmine pearl tea that’s been blended with some of the most beautiful pieces of dried ginger I’ve seen. A lot of times, ginger looks sort of ragged and root-y (especially that which you’d find in a typical chai or other tea blend) but this ginger looks like it was prepared with care and love.
To brew this, I suppose I could have used my gaiwan with great results, but I decided to try brewing it in my Kati Tumbler and this worked just as well too. I measured out a little less than a bamboo scoop of tea and put that in the basket of the Kati. I heated the water to 180°F, poured the water over the leaves and let it steep for 2 minutes.
Overall, I’m thrilled with this tea. I usually associate a jasmine tea with ‘springtime’ but the addition of the ginger make this a really nice cooler weather drink. This would also be really good iced, I think!
24 Days of Tea Holiday Countdown – Day 2 from Teanzo 1856
Day 2 of the countdown! Have you finished your holiday shopping yet? Have you started? I’ve started, but it always seems that we’re waiting until the last possible minute to finish up.
I can’t help but think that these charming, bright red boxes of tea delights from Teanzo would make a great gift, possibly as a hostess gift for a holiday party. Even as a holiday present, even though the “Advent Calendar” part would no longer be of use, it would still be fun to have a different tea every day for 24 days!
I know I’m enjoying it!
After my review of the tea from Day 1, I received an email from Teanzo and they told me that they used “glue dots” to secure the teas into the boxes for a more attractive presentation. If you’ll recall, I mentioned in that review that the glue used was a very strong glue and maybe a bit too strong. I appreciate this input from Teanzo, and I do agree that the presentation of the packages that have been adhered into place is much more attractive than it would be to receive the sampler pouches shuffling loose in the box. I like the way the package has been positioned! So maybe the glue is but a small annoyance so that I can enjoy a beautifully arranged box of delicious teas!
I certainly do appreciate that Teanzo is so responsive! That they’ve taken the time to respond to this means a lot to me as a consumer. I like it when a tea company makes my concerns – their concerns!
I was very happy to see which tea was going to be featured today, because it’s another favorite of mine! So the tea for Day 2 of the countdown – there are only 23 days left until Christmas! – is:
Jasmine
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Teanzo 1856
Tea Description:
Immerse yourself if the intoxicating aroma of jasmine with our organic loose leaf Jasmine green tea. This green tea is not to be missed and is a crowd pleasing green tea.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Jasmine is one of my favorite tea “flavors” – so long as it’s not a “flavored” jasmine and is instead a properly “scented” jasmine. This tastes to me as though it has been properly scented. What does that mean, exactly? Well, to this taster, it means that the jasmine tastes clear and distinct without tasting overly floral, perfume-ish or soap-y.
And that’s what I’m getting from this Jasmine tea from the Teanzo collection. The jasmine is a well-defined note without tasting of soap or like something you should be “wearing” instead of drinking.
To brew this Jasmine, I grabbed my Kati tumbler and poured the contents of the sampler pouch into the infuser basket of the tumbler. Then I heated water to 175°F and poured 12 ounces of the heated water into the tumbler and allowed it to steep for 2 minutes. After 2 minutes, the brewed tea is a golden amber color and the aroma is sweet and floral.
The flavor is a nice balance between the exotic jasmine flower and the sweet, buttery green tea. The green tea is smooth. There is no bitterness and very little astringency.
Typically, when it comes to Jasmine teas, I prefer the base to either be a white tea or a green tea pearl-type of tea. This Jasmine is neither – but I really like it. It’s one of the nicer Jasmine teas I’ve tasted in recent weeks. And do take the time to resteep the leaves! This one offers a couple of additional steeps with no significant loss in flavor.