Premium Jasmine Dragon Pearls Green Tea

I have to admit that I was skeptical of this tea since it is A) a green tea, and B) it has jasmine in it. Turns out my skeptisisms were unwarrented.
I brewed me up a large cuppa this golden/green colored drink merely so I could cross it off of my ‘possible teas’ list. As you can see by my opening statement it turns out that is in fact a possible drinker. I can’t say I’m in love with it, but given that I haven’t liked many greens or any of the jasmines I’ve tried it’s still fairing well enough.
First thing that came to mind on the first sip was buttery, real buttery. After that I found myself questioning what was different about the green flavor. Partly it was the addition of the jasmine, though that was pretty tame, yet there was something else difficult to nail down. It’s a kind of malty green hay thing that, again, is difficult to nail down.
There were some sweet notes present as well, but I didn’t get any of the fruity or honey I read others may have found. I steeped this one a few times and found that the distinctly different notes that jumped out in the first cup had all mellowed and melted into a harmony of flavors.
Even though greens aren’t typically my thing I must still comment on the qaulity that Teavivre delivers. The pearls were beautiful and unfurled into delicate slender leaves. Even though it was AZZ that sent me this sample I must add Angel to my gratitude for the opportunity to experience this tea. Azz you were very gracious to send me so many samples to learn from, and Angel you have made it possible for many people to experience your teas and to taste and see what it is that you offer. Thank you both.
tunes-Gactic,albums-From The Corner To The Block/Carnivale Electicos.

A simply STUNNING and DELICIOUS beauty of a tea. Floral, sweet, and soothing! This tea really calms the nerves and relaxes you!
Steeps multiple times and is truly a beautiful tea to watch (glass pot recommended!)
There are just not many words that have not been said about this one. Its lovely. Get some!

This was a sample Dylan won in Teavivre’s facebook contest. Thanks Teavivre!

The night before last we did a comparison of the jasmine teas we have. This is the clear winner of last nights trial. I was fully prepared to deal with a nauseous tummy. This is the core of my hatred for floral things. To my delight I’ve discovered not all floral teas are equal. As long as the floral is not heavy or cloying I do not get a stomache from it. Score!

I thought the jasmine here was subtle. I could definitely taste it and had no trouble recognizing what it was. It just wasn’t rearing up to apply a breath weapon on me. The green tea was crisp, light and crunchy. It had a fruity sweetness to it that reminded me of apples. It was vastly different from the other greens I’ve experienced in a very pleasant way. The base and the jasmine worked perfectly with each other making this tea, in my opinion, jasmine tea perfection.

Sweet, soothing, crisp and refreshing. I always love a good jasmine.

Guess what! I have a job interview on friday! I really hope it goes well because this would be my first job and I really need the money for tea, hehe. Wish me luck.

Floral, soapy, and sweet jasmine pearls! I love that strong jasmine can taste like bananas. It’s sometimes a more convincing banana than some intentionally banana flavoured teas.

This is a very nice and simple tea but jasmine isn’t something I really crave too often, and, when I do, I think I prefer the scented white leaves over green tea. I’m still grateful for the chance to try this and for Teavivre’s extremely generous sample system!

Back to floral teas, eh? I am very excited to try this one because I loooove jasmine pearls. My favorite so far has been Harney & Sons, but I honestly haven’t gotten to try too many different ones (which is partly because I am so pleased with Harney’s I don’t seek them elsewhere). Thanks to Teavivre, I get to try these pearls!

And it seems like I’m in for a treat; when I opened the package I was greeted by the most amazing jasmine aroma. Seriously honeysuckle aroma there, and rich, heady florals like sticking your head into a jasmine bush in full bloom. Yum. The liquor steeped to a pale golden yellow color, and it retains that honeysuckle-jasmine aroma, though in a more subdued way. There’s also something different about this jasmine aroma that I can’t quite articulate. Let me try: most jasmine seems “high” and “bright” in the aroma, like the equivalent of a soprano voice, but this jasmine has some serious “low” and “dark” notes in the aroma, like the equivalent of an alto or tenor, in addition to the usual high and bright notes that really make it a lush experience.

I was writing all that about the aroma, but it holds true for the flavor as well. The soprano notes are present right at the front of the sip, while the tenor notes grow at the tail end and in the aftertaste. The jasmine is lovely and fresh, and not overpowering or perfumy at all. I always look for a natural sweetness in the tea that reminds me of eating honeysuckle nectar, and it is lightly present here (especially as the tea cools), but not as much as I would have expected. Still, these are top notch jasmine pearls, and at just over $3/oz, they seem to be a bargain for the quality.

Added note: I had three extremely flavorful and tasty steeps (12oz each) of this tea before I got jasmined out. This tea definitely keeps going strong!

Ooh-la-la, this tea,

Treasure of scented pearls, the caviar of tea…

Open the jar…

Close my eyes…

Inhale, deeply…

…TRANSPORT-STARSHIP ENTREPRISE, PLEASE CARRY ME!

In another era, from the luxuriant gardens of Forbidden City,
a world where I have never set foot, but that I recognize from the many books I have flirted with …

Am I having this tea as the Emperor’s favorite concubine? No! As the Empress of Imperial China herself!!! (Why settle for less?)

Well, I know that the Emperor’s entourage probably never drank jasmine pearls, as I think floral teas were not the most prized ones, but I still like to imagine they would!

The texture of this tea is just like its shape: surprisingly round, full and velvety on the palate.

NO TRACE of astringency, even after several minutes of infusion (I accidentally steeped it for 5 min. the first time)

2nd and 3rd steep: still that velvety roundness.

The floral note of jasmine is both rich and fresh, but absolutely not overpowering, the sap of green tea is very present in the background.

Contrary to other jasmine teas I have tried, the floral note doesn’t linger and leave a perfumed imprint in the mouth.

Conclusion: This tea is noble, of exceptional quality and commands respect for the history and craftsmanship it bears.
(And I should mention, TEAVIVRE, you are offering it at an exceptional low price, I thank you for that!)

Ok now, TRANSPORT-STARSHIP ENTREPRISE, PLEASE BRING ME BACK!

Got in some samples from Teavivre the other day and had to try this one right away. I love jasmine pearls…in case no one has noticed :) and this immediately made it’s way toward the top of my list.

These are beautiful little balls of green and white leaves with a very pleasant aroma of sweet jasmine and hints of honeysuckle. The wet leaves are heady without being cloying while the infusion is a very soft floral.

Taste is a wonderful soft sweet jasmine with honeysuckle in the tail end of the sip lasting into the aftertaste. There is a wonderful silky texture throughout the sip and an almost sparkling quality in the aftertaste.

It’s sweet jasmine without being cloying.
It’s floral without being soapy.
Caffeinated yet wonderfully calming.

The only problem of loving jasmine pearls is the price, usually they are expensive. Teavivre’s price for these on the other hand make these well worth the purchase. Excellent quality for an excellent price.

Another experiment in green teas! Wheee! Again, though i don’t mind this tea the jasmine is not my favourite. There are bursts of sweet in this as I sip the cup that i’m not sure i can place. If you’re a fan of green tea and/or jasmine this is a really nice tea.

Many thanks to Angel and Teavivre for sending a sample of this tea to taste and review.

I’m going to admit from the start, that I find mingling flower petals with tea is not something I find appealing. Why? Well, before becoming obsessed with tea, I was obsessed with fragrance. Jasmine and rose are probably the leading additions to most perfumes you will encounter, and that doesn’t mean only “floral” fragrances. And while a lot of my collection are florals, only one or two are jasmine heavy (not a favorite scent…lilies, lilac and tuberose are). So in other words, I’m already biased.

The brewed aroma is very heavy with the scent of jasmine. Not knowing what jasmine petals taste like, I can only imagine while taking first sip. Trying to separate the green tea flavor from the jasmine, I think it imparts a bit of bitterness to the tea. Bitterness isn’t the right word though … more of an aftertaste that lingers, that I am finding unpleasant.

I can see this is a quality tea, and that jasmine tea fans would love it. I’ve tried 3-4 others, and I think it’s just not for me, and no other jasmine tea will be either.

2 tsp, quick rinse first, tsp honey

Man, Steepster has not been behaving all day. Finally I’m on and able to check things, but I have a ridiculous backlog STILL, since earlier when I was trying to log everything, the site was hanging for me again.

I felt the need to finally get around to trying this tea, the last of my Teavivre samples, since everyone else seems to be loving it! I used 22 little pearls in my 8oz. steeper. For whatever reason, the liquid in the infuser looked cloudy. I’m hoping that I didn’t improperly wash the infuser the last time I used it…

The tea smells lightly like jasmine and the flavour is similar, a light, crisp jasmine that lingers in the mouth. There seem to be no ill effects from the cloudiness so I’m not sure what that was all about, but that’s ok. There’s absolutely no astringency/bitterness, but I also can’t really taste the green tea, which is unfortunate – I’d rather be able to taste it alongside the jasmine. It is present in the aftertaste, but that’s it.

I’m not the biggest fan of jasmine teas; I like them and they remind me of eating out at my favourite chinese restaurant, but they’re not something I’d pick for much of the time. So although this one gets high marks for me for being tasty and light, and without any off-putting flavours, it’s not something I’d be too likely to purchase in any large quantity, although it would be nice to have around. One jasmine tea would be enough though, and in addition to this one, I have a good portion of Verdant’s Yunnan White Jasmine to finish off, which will take me a fair while.

A big thanks to Teavivre for such wonderful samples!

Oh my goodness, why did I wait so long to try this tea?!?!!?

I finally had an empty tin, so decided to transfer my generous sample from Teavivre into it, and I was greeted with the most wonderful fragrance imaginable! Sweet jasmine, but not perfumey or overpowering. Nutty isn’t the right word, but sort of a depth to it, too. It made me want to drink some as soon as possible! So this morning I made myself a whole pot of coffee so I wouldn’t have Caffeine Issues and could enjoy a green tea (I wish I was kidding).

This is so. good. It’s floral and rich, but the jasmine is so balanced with the green tea. I taste tea. Good tea! No bitterness, and none of the funny tastes I haven’t learned to appreciate yet in a green tea. More of a creamy taste. I am so impressed!

The pearls are also very beautiful.

I’ve made two steeps so far (the second one even lovelier than the first) and I can see at least two more this afternoon.

Thank you SO MUCH Teavivre. I’m in love!

The third and final Teavivre Jasmine tea for our face-off… dun dun duuuuuhhhh!

This feels a lot more like the soothing, relaxation medicine that jasmine tea should be. The jasmine flavor is smooth and sweet, but not overpowering. It blends in with the soft, delicate green tea flavor coming from the cute little wrapped up pearls. It really is a great experience.

This will be our permanent collection jasmine, methinks :)

Thanks to Angel and Teavivre for this sample, and all of the samples. It is truly awesome that you do this kind of service for your customers.

Tea of the afternoon…..

The sample was sent for review by TeaVivre. Thank you so much, Angel, for arranging this tea tasting with Steepster members. It has been wonderful to see how others experienced the tea you are currently drinking.

I have about four versions of this tea in my house. I do have to say, that I do enjoy a good jasmine green. In looking at the price points of the versions I have on hand, it runs all across the board from just over $5per ounce when purchased in around a 4 oz amount to this one which is just over $3.50. One of the close to $5 versions is organic, but the other is not. The one that I have that is close in price to this one, I have relatively zero information on it as I purchased it from a glass jar at my local Asian Market. I think the offering from TeaVivre is the one I will stick with…I have much more information on it, and it definitely smells fresher than the one I bought locally. I know green teas have a shorter shelf life than black, so it being very fresh is important. (I wish I had known that about my local purchase….while it is good, it is not nearly as bright tasting as some of the others I have tried, and who knows how long it was sitting in that glass jar?!) They all look very similar, but the two that are closest in smell are this one and the version from Harney & Son’s. My local one, and the organic one from the Summer Steepster box both smell kind of flat, although the local one is slightly floral, while being flat, and closer to what would be expected in a jasmine tea. (I am not even sure I want to try the organic one. It just doesn’t smell right, and I just opened the package…)

Onto the tea. It makes a pale, golden-green liquor and has such a lovely, relaxing, light floral scent. More of a refreshing scent than you would find in rose scented teas. The flavor has a slight butteryness and I definitely taste a light floral note as well as smelling it. I find this very good and I think jasmine tea would be more of a Spring/Summer choice for myself, but I am trying to push myself to drink more green tea. I always forget jasmine pearls are green, though! This is a very good and reasonably priced version of this tea in my opinion, especially since it is a good resteeper.

Since my doctors fiasco this morning and having had stomach ache for half the day I have decided to treat myself to a gaiwan steeping of this wonderful jasmine dragon pearl tea.

My tasting notes are just quick, I will write a better review soon.

The pearls are magically perfumed before and during steeping and the only thing that could match it’s fragrance would be it’s taste. Perfumey sweet jasmine with fresh grassy green tea leaves and a pinch of sunshine.

It’s fun to look at the pearls after each steep to see them change, at my second steep in they changed from being tight pearls to becoming 6’s or 9’s due to unravelling slightly. Fourth steep and they are starting to look like long spirals.

My stomach feels better now too :) Plus the jasmine has perfumed my mouth.

Wow, this was sweet – almost candy-like. One of the things that I always like about jasmine pearls is that you never need as much leaf as most other green teas to get a good flavor. It’s also one of the things that I forget the most and usually end up with super jasmine-y tea. Which in this case is yummy. This is probably a tie with the Bailin Gongfu for my favorite of the TeaVivre samples.

I received this lovely sample from Teavire to try. I’ve never had a Jasmine Pearl before so I was pretty eager to try one.

In a word: delicious. This is easily one of the best Jasmine green teas I’ve had. The aroma here is intoxicating but the flavor is sweet and subtle and does not knock me over the head tasting like a shower gel. I’m pretty happy. Plus the craftsmanship of these pearls is just so darn cute. I feel like such a lady…

I have been sick all this week. When you’re sick, your tastebuds aren’t up to par, and so I’ve been drinking a lot of mediocre teas since I don’t want to waste all my good teas. Since Teavivre is having an upcoming sale on these jasmine pearls, though, I decided to try them to see what I think. I don’t need more tea, and I’ll probably resist buying them, but if they were absolutely amazing I wanted to know.

They are definitely very good. Jasmine pearls are one of my favorite teas, and this is very nice. The flavor is subtle, but I only steeped it for a minute, so we’ll have to see what happens when I steep it for a whopping 2 minutes next time.

I do feel a little bad giving this tea a rating when I’m sick and I’m not 100%, but I suppose it’s all right.

_{Free sample provided by Teavivre for review}

I don’t have Jasmine tea often, but when I do, I want good stuff. This, my friends, is the good stuff. After putting up with lousy bags in Asian restaurants, I bought some loose leaf from Ten Ren tea-which was okay, but it went very bitter in just a couple of months. I had a good experience with Imperial Republic pearls from RoT and I was hoping to build on that with this tea.

The pearls are very tightly rolled and a little bigger than RoT’s (which are BB-sized), but smaller than say, Fenqing Dragon Pearls (which are closer to marble-sized). The aroma is a wonderful and natural jasmine. The liquor is very pale with more yellow than green hues. The jasmine is pronounced, but it does not seem like you are smelling or drinking perfume. The tea and the jasmine fuse very well together in the flavor. I have had two delicious steeps so far and may go for a third.

I know that I will never compromise with inferior Jasmine tea again and I consider Teavivre’s Jasmine Pearls one of my very top choices for quality Jasmine tea.

Okay, so I may have steeped this one a little too short (or so said my husband), but I am always horridly afraid of oversteeping green tea, because all it takes is a few seconds for green teas to turn from perfect to omgbitternastywhatdidIjustputinmymouth.

Sue me. I planned to resteep anyway. xP

Leaf (or in this case, pearl) description: A good size, rolled a little more loosely than I’ve seen in the past. Good distribution of the jasmine leaves and the silver tips throughout all of the pearls, as far as I can tell. Very pleasant smell!
Brew description: After steeping (see time below), the liquor was a pale spring green color, with a hint of butter color, which became more like an amber near the bottom of the pot. I didn’t stir like my husband and I usually do—I wanted to see what would happen.

No sweeteners were added or necessary.

First steep: WOW! This was so much different than most other green teas I have ever tried. The first sip put me in this extremely (pardon the expression, there’s really no better word for it) zen kind of mood, vigorously awake and yet calm as still water. It was almost as if I’d been put under a spell. The jasmine is so delicious, not bitter at all, and the ‘green tea’ flavor was simply sublime!

My review on the second steep will have to wait until next post; I haven’t had the time yet, but I will definitely make the time! I will have to consider this one for my favorite jasmine tea of all time. (Teavana’s Thousand Mountain Jasmine, which I’m not entirely sure if they stole from one of those companies they absorbed, is my current favorite, but we’ll see.)