This is my first ever flowering tea, so I was excited when I saw that it was included in my samples, I was double excited that they sent the jasmine instead of the rose one, because I am much more of a jasmine than a rose person.
I wasn’t sure how long to let this steep, and I kept thinking it was done unfurling, but then it would blossom even more. It was definitely a beautiful sight to behold. I love watching oolong expand, and this is 10x better. The green tea leaves expanded along the bottom of the bundle, like the skirt of a Christmas tree. Then there were some more tied around a big flower that acted as a base for an arch of beautiful jasmine blossoms that extended up out of the bundle.
I originally drained out the tea too soon, and the first cup came out nice and jasmine scented, but almost clear, and the jasmine taste faded significantly as it cooled. I added more water, and let it steep until the tea had turned a pale brownish gold color. This cup had less jasmine and more depth. With an almost savory green vegetal taste, and an almost buttery mouth feel, leaving the jasmine at the end of the sip.
The third cup was much like the second, but the tea was an almost orange color. Overall, definitely a fun experience.
