Smooth Jasmine

Sipdown, 231. Thanks to Kasumi no Chajin for this sample!

I always welcome a new jasmine green, and I always enjoy drinking them. I admit that I tend to prefer the over-the-top, very flowery, honeysuckle sweet jasmines, but I enjoy the more plain-jane varieties as well. That’s what I would consider this one: a somewhat rough-around-the-edges jasmine, an everyday jasmine, the kind of jasmine you might drink with a meal. The green tea is grassy and vegetal, and the jasmine isn’t really sweet or even that floral, if you can imagine that for a jasmine. Again, I like this as an everyday tea, and it reminds me of the jasmine green that I did drink almost every day in China.

Loose
Appearance: mid forest green, highlights of olive, medium jasmine buds
Aroma when Dry: slightly soapy jasmine floral
After water is first poured: moderate jasmine floral, hints of grass
At end of first steep: soft grassy jasmine
Tea liquor:
At end of steep: light grass
Staple? Type yes, would gladly buy brand
Preferred time of day: afternoon, evening
Taste:
At first?: buttery jasmine notes, getting floral on the close
As it cools?: notes deepen,tea gets bodied, slightly salty, brothy, floral close
Additives used (milk, honey, sugar etc)? No
Lingers? Slightly, floral all across palate

I don’t think that “smooth” is the best adjective they could have chosen for this tea. It is flat and loud but bitter in flavour and somewhat tannic.