Choosing the best jasmine tea requires understanding how it’s made and what taste you want. Green tea is the best base for jasmine tea, and high-quality jasmine tea is made from jasmine pearls. Loose leaves are a better choice for individual tea drinkers, while jasmine tea bags are an option but may not have the same flavor fidelity.
Choosing the best jasmine tea usually requires little more than a solid understanding of how jasmine tea is made and an idea of what kind of taste you’re looking for. Jasmine teas are usually made with a green tea base and the more expensive teas actually include a young jasmine flower. Medium grade teas are infused with jasmine petals and often contain petal bits and the lowest grade products are tea bags, often containing tea powder and crumbs seasoned with jasmine oil. All can properly be considered jasmine tea, but the taste, price, and overall experience tend to vary quite dramatically. Making the best choice takes a little tea education.
Jasmine tea comes from China and the most authentic versions come directly from that country. There are three main varieties of jasmine tea: jasmine pearls, loose leaves and tea bags. Each has a distinct flavor and the beer experience is usually different. The first thing to do when choosing a tea is to determine which variety you are looking for. From there, research the quality and origins of each possibility in order to narrow down the right tea for your tastes and budget.
In most cases, the best jasmine teas are made from green tea leaves. Green tea has a delicate flavor with a pronounced aroma that perfectly complements the floral notes of jasmine. It is also usually true that green tea leaves are capable of absorbing the jasmine aroma. White tea and black tea leaves often have a less pronounced jasmine flavor than green jasmine tea, if only because the leaves are drier and less porous.
High quality jasmine teas usually come as jasmine pearl tea. Each “pearl” is a hand-sewn bundle containing a jasmine flower surrounded by green tea leaves. The leaves are usually wrapped around the flower very tightly, then tied with cotton thread. This grouping gives the tea leaves time to steep steeply, while preparing something amazing for the tea maker. When hot water is poured over the pearl, it opens, or “blooms,” into a spectacular display of underwater flowers.
Pearl tea is usually sold by weight or by the pearl and is usually the most expensive jasmine tea available. If you’re just looking for a casual tea, pearls are probably not the best choice. They are widely regarded as having the best flavor, but are also relatively time consuming. You’ll need a clear glass teapot to get the most out of the aesthetic appeal of tea, and the crowd or appetite for the value of several pots in order to maximize value.
Loose leaves are often a better choice for individual tea drinkers. These are usually infused in the same way as pearls – i.e. by letting the tea leaves absorb the essences directly from the flowers – but the flowers themselves are rarely included. Some blends will include petal fragments and the essence is always present no matter what.
Jasmine tea bags are another option. Tea bags come in various forms, from large mesh filter bags to disposable teabags. Flavor fidelity is something to look out for in bagged tea, as not all have been flavored with jasmine flowers. Sometimes, tea blenders simply flavor broken or damaged green tea leaves with jasmine oil or essence just before bagging them. This type of tea often smells like other, more expensive iterations, but rarely produces the same. For some people, a close approximation is acceptable, but when only the best will do, reading labels and understanding origins is essential.
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