4.01.2008 : Tea of the Month for April – Night Blooming Jasmine
Flower scented Jasmine tea, one of the world's
great indulgences, and the oldest of all scented
teas, has been a favorite of discerning tea
drinkers since the Chinese Sung Dynasty of the
13th century.
Opening only during the warm twilight evenings, choice Jasmine flower buds are carefully plucked during the late afternoon then immediately layered into a base of pouching tea – which is midway between a green and oolong tea – for five consecutive nights. As the ivory-colored blossoms open each night, their petals' sweet aroma intermingles with the tea, creating a synergy of flavors and aromas unlike any other. When the petals fragrance has been exhausted, the spent petals are placed in the base tea. Contrary to popular belief, the finest, sweetest grades contain fewer petals.
The world's finest Jasmines come from the China
province of Fujian. Xanadu's Night Blooming Jasmine
is produced in the Dai yun Shan mountains
of the of the Chinese coastal tea province of
Fukian, near the city of Fuzhou,
and grown by a collective that specializes in
producing exquisite scented teas.
We invite you to try this tea and discover for yourself why it has been beloved for centuries.
