This was a gift from derk, which she gave me in person at the 2018 San Francisco Tea Festival, after I had inquired curiosity about it (but because I’m a horrible person, I’m only just now getting around to drinking it, two years later…) I have never been a huge jasmine person, not because of the taste (which I actually quite like), but because the scenting is usually so strong and wafts off the cup like I’m being drowned in cheap grandma perfume, which is one of my migraine triggers. I have had “lighter” iterations of jasmine (such as in blends) that I enjoyed, but most jasmine-scented greens and whites have been “too strong” for me. I have never had a jasmine black, which is what I think sparked my curiosity in this.
4g sample in my 100ml shiboridashi, because I’ve had some days off so I actually have the time to gong fu for a change. The wet leaf smells so much like strong, muscatel grapes, which is quite pleasant; definitely different than the “perfumy” jasmine floral aroma I usually smell (I certainly do smell jasmine flowers, as well, just not to the extent of “overly strong grandma perfume”). Maybe a hint of autumn leaf in there as well?
100ml shiboridashi | 4g | 205F | 15s/20s/25s/30s/40s/50s/65s
I’m surprised how much that muscatel aroma is carrying over in the flavor, as well; I certainly taste the jasmine florality, but there is a noticable grapey fruity flavor as well, and a much more subtle hint of malt and honey. On the second steep some of the black tea flavor peeked through a bit more, and I started to taste more of the malt, honey, and now autumn leaf, but the tea was still very fruity with muscatel notes and sweet with floral jasmine. I felt like the black tea notes continued to open up in the mid-session, yet retained a lovely fruity/floral flavor. Later in the session, the jasmine became a little more forceful in flavor, but never obnoxious/perfumy. The tea was such a lovely red color and extremely smooth! I drank it really lazily, and enjoyed each sip.
I loved this! I think I just need my jasmine on a black base from now on! Thank you so much for this lovely gift, derk!
Flavors: Autumn Leaf Pile, Floral, Fruity, Grapes, Honey, Jam, Jasmine, Malt, Muscatel, Smooth, Sweet
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Mmm… this one has the yunnan golden snails! Such a good tea.
I know WPT is notoriously impossible to order from, so if anyone know of other black jasmine teas, I’m all ears.
I don’t think I know anyone who uses the Snails, but Verdant has a Yunnan jasmine too (can’t vouch for this one, but their jasmine teas used to be nice last time I had them circa 2016): https://verdanttea.com/teas/yunnan-golden-jasmine-scented-black-tea/
Teavivre has Yunnan Dian Hong balls with Jasmine: https://www.teavivre.com/jasmine-dragon-ball-black-tea.html
David’s Tea has similar mystery black tea balls with jasmine. as do a couple others. I haven’t tried any of these though, and Alice is such a nice tea..
Thanks for the suggestions, I’ll have to look into those. I am very curious to see if I continue to not have the “jasmine migraine issue” when its on a black base.
Alice is a nice tea, but I just don’t have the personality to play Tea Hunger Games fighting against everyone else whenever a tiny amount becomes available to “get some” in that 10 minutes before it sells out. Even if it isn’t quite as good, if I can find an easily accessible option that at least scratches the itch, that would be fantastic.
Mmm… this one has the yunnan golden snails! Such a good tea.
I know WPT is notoriously impossible to order from, so if anyone know of other black jasmine teas, I’m all ears.
I don’t think I know anyone who uses the Snails, but Verdant has a Yunnan jasmine too (can’t vouch for this one, but their jasmine teas used to be nice last time I had them circa 2016): https://verdanttea.com/teas/yunnan-golden-jasmine-scented-black-tea/
Teavivre has Yunnan Dian Hong balls with Jasmine: https://www.teavivre.com/jasmine-dragon-ball-black-tea.html
David’s Tea has similar mystery black tea balls with jasmine. as do a couple others. I haven’t tried any of these though, and Alice is such a nice tea..
Thanks for the suggestions, I’ll have to look into those. I am very curious to see if I continue to not have the “jasmine migraine issue” when its on a black base.
Alice is a nice tea, but I just don’t have the personality to play Tea Hunger Games fighting against everyone else whenever a tiny amount becomes available to “get some” in that 10 minutes before it sells out. Even if it isn’t quite as good, if I can find an easily accessible option that at least scratches the itch, that would be fantastic.