Jasmine Dragon Pearls: The Hand-Rolled Tea That Blooms in Your Cup
Some teas you simply drink. Jasmine Dragon Pearls is one you watch. Each small, hand-rolled pearl slowly opens in hot water, and the room fills with the sweet scent of jasmine. It is one of our favorite teas for a quiet afternoon, any time of year.
Where Jasmine Dragon Pearls Come From
Jasmine tea has a long history in China. The city of Fuzhou, in Fujian province, is especially famous for it, and its scenting traditions go back to the Southern Song dynasty.
The pearls are made from the top two leaves and the bud of new spring growth, picked in late March and early April. Each pearl is then rolled by hand.
The jasmine scent comes from real flowers. The blossoms are gathered during the day while they are still closed. In the evening, as the flowers open and release their fragrance, they are layered with the tea. After resting together, the spent flowers are removed and the tea is dried. This process is often repeated several times to give the tea a deeper scent.
What It Tastes Like
Jasmine Dragon Pearls is smooth and silky, with a clean green tea base under a sweet jasmine perfume. It is gentle, never bitter when brewed well, and pleasantly floral.
When the pearls open, look for the two leaves and the bud coming back to life. You may see a little soft "hairy down" on the bud. That is a sign of high quality and careful handling.
It pairs nicely with dim sum, steamed fish, almond cookies or fresh lychees. It is also lovely on its own.
How to Brew Jasmine Dragon Pearls
These are the brewing instructions from our product page, per 8 oz. of water:
Water temperature: 195°F / 90°C
Amount: 2 teaspoons
Steep time: 2–3 minutes
Tip: brew it in a glass teapot or a clear mug so you can watch the pearls open. You can steep the same pearls several times.
Sizes
New to this tea? The sample size is an easy way to try it first.
Shop Jasmine Dragon Pearls from our tea shop in Boston, and explore the rest of our green tea collection.