Also known as Jasmine Dragon Pearls, this scented green tea traces its craft to Hunan Province in China, where tea makers first learned to marry jasmine blossoms with green and white leaves during the Song Dynasty. The method was originally the preserve of the imperial court: artisans hand-picked jasmine flowers in the evening, when their scent runs strongest, then layered them overnight with tea so the leaves could draw in the fragrance. It took generations of refinement before the technique travelled beyond the palace and out along the trade routes that carried it around the world.
The tea itself starts with young leaves picked in early spring, hand-rolled into small pearls and dried before the scenting begins. Jasmine flowers are gathered at the height of summer bloom, picked early in the morning while the buds are still closed so they hold onto as much fragrance as possible. Those buds are layered with the dried pearls overnight; as they open, their oils pass into the leaf. Depending on how strong the maker wants the scent, this layering can be repeated with fresh flowers before a final drying locks the aroma in. What comes out the other end is a tightly rolled pearl that slowly unfurls in the pot, releasing a wave of jasmine along with a smooth, faintly sweet cup.
On the nose there's a strong, unmistakable jasmine, backed by hints of honey and fresh greenery. That floral opening carries through the first sip, giving way to a honey-like sweetness and a light grassy undertone from the green and white leaf underneath, proof that the base tea is still doing real work under the scent. Dry, the pearls have an emerald-green colour that gives away their quality before you've even poured water over them.
Brew it gently: water around 80°C is plenty, since anything closer to the boil scalds the delicate leaf and turns the cup bitter. Give the pearls about three minutes to open fully and release their fragrance, tasting along the way and pulling them earlier if you prefer it lighter. The same pearls hold up to several more infusions, each one a touch longer than the last, so it's worth not rushing to throw them out after the first pot. Kept in an airtight container, away from heat, light, and anything with a strong smell of its own, the pearls will hold their scent far longer than left loose in the open.
