Jasmine Downy Pearls are wonderfully fragrant and create a delicious cup of tea. Each pearl is hand-picked and hand-rolled and infused with fresh night-blooming jasmine blossoms. Watch each pearl unfurl in your cup or teapot for a relaxing and pleasureable time, anytime.
Jasmine Downy Pearls are a green tea and are made from the top two leaves and the bud of new season growth (Late March /early April). These delicate leaves are then hand rolled into the small pearls. When you infuse these pearls in your tea cup, you will see the top two leaves and the bud come to life. In fact you will see some small ‘hairy down’ on the bud of the leaves - this denotes superb quality and very careful and delicate handling.
The extraordinary flavour of these Jasmine Downy Pearls is due to the time of plucking, manufacture and the fresh spring jasmine blooms. The new tea season starts in China in late March/early April (dependent on weather patterns) and it is during the first 4 weeks that the best teas are manufactured. After this initial period the quality of the teas and green leaf start to deteriorate rapidly and the teas become quite plain. Coinciding with the new tea growth, the jasmine bushes are in spring bloom. Only the most fragrant blossoms are used (from bushes that are known to produce the most fragrant flowers). These fresh flowers are layered between the tea and before long the intense and uplifting fragrance of the new jasmine blooms is passed on to the tea. An extraordinary taste experience!
Hot tea brewing method: When preparing by the cup, this tea can be used repeatedly - about 3 times. The secret is to use water that is about 180ºF or 80ºC. Place 6-8 pearls in your cup, let the tea steep for about 3 minutes and then begin enjoying a cup of enchantment - do not remove the leaves from the cup. Once the water level is low - add more water, and so on and so on - until the flavor of the tea is exhausted. Look at the pattern of the leaves in the brew, not only do they foretell your fortune but you can see the bud and shoots presenting themselves, looking like they are about to be plucked. [The traditional Chinese method of drinking this tea would be to use the leaves 3-5 times and discuss philosophy with a close friend]