Our Jasmine Pearls Green tea is one of the most popular in the Dragonfly Jasmine Tea range, loved for its delicate fragrance and floral taste. Here we look at the making of this extraordinary tea.
In China, the art of scenting teas with fresh flower petals goes back many hundreds of years. We build on this tradition by only using fresh jasmine flowers to naturally infuse the tea leaves. As with all things Dragonfly, we never use artificial flavourings and always choose more traditional artisan methods to give our teas the most exquisite and authentic taste.
During Spring, fresh tea leaves are picked by hand and then dried using heat to prevent oxidisation. This ensures the leaves keep their light green colour and prevents the tea from darkening into black tea. The prepared green tea is then kept to one side and the wait for the jasmine harvest begins.
In early Summer, the jasmine buds are carefully picked by hand in the afternoon when they are still closed. The tea leaves are then spread out in the tea-making area and the collected jasmine buds are expertly placed on top and left there overnight. As dusk falls, the petals slowly unfurl, releasing their special fragrance which infuses into the leaves beneath. The process is repeated every night for several nights, until the leaves are perfectly scented with the natural aroma of the jasmine flowers. The tea makers craft lies in knowing just when that moment has arrived. In fine jasmine teas, the spent flowers are then removed to ensure a beautifully rounded and balanced tea.
Traditionally, jasmine tea is then skillfully rolled into pearl shapes by hand, as in our Jasmine Pearls. When hot water is added, the pearls then slowly unfold as the tea leaves absorb the liquid.
Along with Jasmine, Dragonfly's Jade Orchid Green Tea from our Tea House Collection is made using the same technique. Petals from the Yunan or Jade Orchid flower are used to naturally infuse the finest green tea leaves with a delicately sweet and floral fragrance.
We offer three different jasmine teas at Dragonfly: Moonlight Jasmine from the Organic Speciality Range, Jasmine Pearls from our artisan pyramid Tea House Collection and Loose Leaf Jasmine Dragon Pearls from our Leaf Teas of Distinction range. All three examples are made using these traditional artisan techniques and offer a wonderful taste experience for all occasions.
