Jasmine tea is a scented tea, like Earl Grey or Lapsang souchong. It is made by infusing green tea with the scent of jasmine flowers during the night when jasmine releases its fragrance. Jasmine was introduced into China during the Han Dynasty (pre-200AD), and began to be used to flavour tea in the fifth century. Jasmine tea is now China's most famous and most popular scented tea.
This is a pleasant tea - fresh and lively, and very refreshing. We have a habit of drinking jasmine tea when having an Asian meal - maybe a Chinese take-away, or some form of stir-fry perhaps; we like to drink it the way it is served in Chinese restaurants: in small cups, poured often from a warm teapot. It's not often I actually drink it in large cups, just by itself. But when I do, I find it very compelling. I don't find this Twinnings blend to be as fragrant as those we buy in China Town in London, but it is very drinkable. I prefer to keep the bag in the water, though it is recommended to remove it after two or three minutes. Each to their own, but I do like a flavoured tea, and while I like the jasmine to scent my tea, I do also like and want the flavour of the tea itself. Without the support of the base tea, this can taste a bit like stewed grass cuttings.
Date: Jan 2014 Score: 5
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| Twinings |
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