Award Winning Jasmine Golden Buds Black Tea

This was from my sample sale a while ago. I really wanted the samples to try them fresh, and I’m a little disappointed in myself that it’s almost the new harvest and I’m just now getting to some of the harvest from 2018. I definitely wanted to try this one: A unique black base with Teavivre’s essential jasmine essence. Any one of Teavivre’s jasmine teas is an essential to my cupboard (at LEAST one of the jasmine teas!). You can’t really go wrong with them. And Teavivre offers many varieties of base teas for that lovely jasmine flavor. The first steep of these pure golden leaves was light, but surprisingly not lighter for a such a golden tea. The jasmine really shines with these leaves. The jasmine is neither too light in flavor or too heavy handed. I thought I was tasting hints of melon as well. The second steep was much darker, again surprisingly for such a golden leafed tea, but in no way astringent. Hints of chocolate and still plenty of jasmine. Melon has disappeared on the second steep. I really like this, but it might not be as perfect as some of Teavivre’s other jasmine options. I like the idea of a jasmine black tea option though!
Steep #1 // around 2.5 grams for a full mug // 11 minutes after boiling // 2 minute steep
Steep #2 // just boiled // 3 minute steep
Harvest: 2018

If you love jasmine it probably is a great tea for you. The jasmine itself is obviously fresh, with a potent aroma and taste. Adjusting the steeping time the jasmine taste can be varied from bracingly strong to more mellow and relaxing.

My problem is that you can’t really taste the tea component in this blend. I guess it provides the requisite caffeine but still the resulting cup tastes more like a herbal tea and I am not a huge fan of them.

All in all, it could be a great tea for a very specific taste.

One of the first loose leaf teas I bought was a jasmine black. It was…hard to drink. I felt like I was having a cup of hot bubble bath. Then about four or five years ago, Teavivre sent me some samples of their jasmine teas and I shuddered, afraid to try them…but when I tried them I fell in love.

Jasmine is like an antidote for stress for me. A nice, hot cup and a few moments alone rejuvenate me and wash away tension.

I was curious and excited to see what the new Golden Buds Jasmine would be like. It is nothing like that black jasmine of long ago! This is soft, smooth, and sweet. The leaves themselves are long, oh so soft buds that are a golden tan color. The steeped tea is a soft, medium orange/tan.

The tea has a light creamy body. There is not a trace of briskness or astringency, no cocoa or smoke. This is so smooth. The jasmine is ample but not overpowering.

My husband prefers not to drink black tea since he always wants milk and sugar with it, so he sticks with oolongs, greens, whites, and puerh most of the time. Tonight I just told him we were having jasmine tea, and he drank four cups. He went outside to do a bit of work and then came back for more. I still haven’t told him it was black tea, and he is loving it without additions. That’s how smooth it is.

We have made two steeps Western style and I am going to try for a third.