Jasmine #12 by Adagio

Scent in tin: Completely heavenly…glorious jasmine floral fragrance, very sweet.
Brewed in: 12 oz. clear glass English-style teapot w/glass infusor
Steeped: 7 minutes @ approx. 180 degrees or so
Cup: Clear glass Adagio mug

Jasmine scented teas have always had a special place on my taste buds. I absolutely adore the sweet, almost honey-like scent and texture of a good jasmine tea. I was going to take a picture of this brewing to post, because it’s simply wonderful to watch the little pearls of tea unfold behind the clear glass, but I was too lazy to get up and get the camera. This was my “before bed cuppa” last night, so I was brewing it in my chair, on a tray while watching TV.

Jasmine #12 consists of two leaves and a bud rolled into a tight little pearl, highly scented with jasmine. It’s considered an oolong tea, and is somewhat delicate to brew, as you don’t want the water temperature too high to avoid “cooking” the leaves as they unfurl. It’s not cheap – I bought a sample tin for $5, but you can infuse the leaves more than once (though I’ve not had time to do that yet), and it only takes about 12 pearls or so for a decent 12 oz. pot of tea. So my sample tin will undoubtedly last for quite some time, since it’s not an “everyday” tea for me.

In any case, it is an exquisite tea, smooth with a honey-like texture, and that sweet floral fragrance that is soothing and relaxing. It’s perfect for that late evening cup, when winding down from a long day or week, though too expensive for a daily treat. I think it would be great company tea as well – I suppose there are people out there who wouldn’t care for the heavy floral tones, but for the most part, I think the average person would thoroughly enjoy it as a more “exotic” taste than the normal, everyday teabag. This tea is anything but boring, and all the more enjoyable for it's form and beauty in the brewing process (make sure to use glass teaware for full enjoyment of this tea).

It will be interesting to see how other Jasmine teas compare to this one, but this is definitely worth the $5 for a small tin, to enjoy alone or with a special friend.