A review of Yunnan White Jasmine by Verdant Tea
Date: 10/29/2012
Company: Verdant Tea
Tea Name: Yunnan White Jasmine
Tea Type/Varietal: Green
Region: Lincang Region, Western Yunnan
Steeping Vessel/Amt. Leaf:
Plucking Season: Spring 2012
Liquor Color: very light yellow
Leaf Characteristics: Silver Needle White tea, 100% bud material, picked and steamed, then allowed to dry with fresh jasmine petals changed out once a day for seven days to absorb full fragrance.
- Steepings
1st Steeping:
Water temperature: 175 Fahrenheit
Time: 2 minutes
Note: I use one teaspoon of leaves per cup of water and steep for 2 minutes with 175 degree water, and waited for the leaves to have sunk to the bottom of my cup. This is a lovely tea to view; the leaves open up but in small roll like since they are more like pods and there are small flower that floats atop of the water. The effect is kind of like in a pond…with some flowers floating on the water.
Tea’s color is most lovely, with this first steep, it is a lovely very light yellow and as I steep this tea a bit longer, tea’s color did brightened to a pale yellow, more yellow than white or that light green when first steep.
Throughout all of this description is the tea’s aroma and it is that of Jasmine, full of the fragrant perfume of Jasmine and there is not mistaking of this. And when tasted I did not like it since scent is too over powering.
2nd Steeping:
Water temperature: 200 Fahrenheit
Time: 2 minutes
Note: I let the water boil fully and steep the leaves for the same amount of time as before. What I want is less of the jasmine fragrant and to just enjoy this very mild tea with its strong perfume. And with more water added the strong, heady scent of the jasmine does dissipate, allowing for a more sedate cup of this tea. And it is fine with me for now.
This tea has a heady floral bouquet and does make this tea reviewer think of a pond with lilies, and lilacs that floats about in the pond. I am not sure if the jasmine plant is one that floats around in ponds, but could as well be.
All of this is suggestive of another’s tea description by Verdant Tea, of which they stated: Shui Xian is a tea shrouded in mystery -its name is either a reference to a Taoist immortal, a spirit of the water, or the narcissus flower. This triple-meaning is fitting for the immense complexity and richness that the tea offers.
Anyhow, this imagery / description seem true of this Yunnan Jasmine Tea. I did view the silver white needles and the buds of the plant as well. This is a lovely tea and for me I must learn to appreciate the headiness of jasmine flower…made popular in China and is rich with antioxidants and vitamin C and to help sooth the digestive system, as this is the benefits I hope to obtain/gain when drinking this tea.
