Tea of the Week for January 11, 2021!

This tea - oh how I love this tea!

It started as a jasmine green tea  - using superior quality green tea that's been scented by layering French jasmine blossoms with the tea - in several rounds. This process is known as 'scenting' & it's done at the source. I blended this organic jasmine tea with organic Chun Mee. Then I added freeze-dried blackberries & vanilla beans. 

The result is a blend that evokes lovely visions of tea in a French countryside garden on a sunny afternoon. 

This is a blend that will probably not be blended again because this superior Jasmine tea is not one that I keep in stock - so it's one that you should grab now while it's here! It's organic, VEGAN, gluten-free & allergen-free. 

Taster size is approximately 12g

organic ingredients: green teas (including jasmine scented green tea), blackberries, vanilla beans & natural flavors

This tea is powerful - in a very beautiful way. It has the power to transport me (well, my mind) to a different place - to a beautiful garden in the French countryside - sitting, enjoying the sunshine & the scent of jasmine blossoms & blackberries wafting through the air. 

I think that in today's climate, a lovely mental escape like this is exactly what's called for. 

The jasmine is distinct but it isn't as sharp as what you might detect if you were drinking a tea brewed from jasmine pearls. It's soft - thanks in part to the presence of vanilla & to a lesser extent, the blackberries, of course, but also due to the type of jasmine scented tea used in this blend. It is smooth, sweet & has a silky texture. Jasmine & silk. 

The vanilla is the next note that I pick up on - it's exquisitely sweet - adding a pleasing dimension of flavor to this cup. The blackberries are a softer flavor - I pick up subtle hints of it throughout the sip, but they are subtle - but the flavors develop as I continue to sip & by the time I reach mid-cup, there is a distinct berry-ness to the cup - including a pleasant berry tingle in the finish.

to brew: use 3g of leaf to 12 ounces of hot water (175°F), allow to steep for 2 minutes. strain & allow to cool for at least 5 minutes to allow the flavors to develop.

I found (by accident) that this tea is somewhat forgiving - as my second taste test was accidentally oversteeped by 1 minute. (3 minutes instead of 2) The flavors were affected, but not in a bad way. I found the green tea was a bit more prominent, I got more of that fresh, sweet vegetal flavor from the green tea & the jasmine was stronger. It took a little longer for the flavors of the vanilla & the blackberry to reveal themselves with this longer steep. 

I definitely preferred the third taste test with the 2 minute steep time, but I still enjoyed the 3 minute cup.