85
drank Jasmine Dream by Tavalon Tea
2036 tasting notes

I love the way jasmine smells, and I love jasmine in tea. I just thought I should get that out of the way. ;-)

The smell in the container is of, of course, jasmine, but also a toasty note that I don’t typically associate with Chinese green teas.

The jasmine scent from the tea after steeping is really deep. It’s a sultry jasmine rather than a perky jasmine. The tea is a medium yellow and clear.

The flavor is pretty intensely jasmine, but unlike other Chinese green jasmines I’ve had, this one actually evokes the jasmine flower rather than the jasmine “flavor.” There’s a freshness to it, as though I’m tasting the petals from a fresh flower. I can also taste the green tea in and among the jasmine, and I often have an issue with jasmine greens where I really can’t distinguish the tea base. Perhaps it’s that toastiness that makes this one stand out. But it doesn’t taste toasty. It’s not smoky like gunpowder green. It’s a darker flavor though, sort of like gunpowder without the smoke but not quite as dark.

I am quite enjoying this. I have a jasmine oolong on the agenda for later this afternoon before we leave for no. 2’s birthday dinner. I’m hoping to stop at Bed, Bath and Beyond on the way and pick up some tools so I can season the little Yixing. Speaking of that, I really need to find my matcha bowl. It’s been bugging me that I can’t find it. I should apply myself to a search tomorrow.

Flavors: Flowers

Preparation
175 °F / 79 °C 1 min, 30 sec 2 tsp 17 OZ / 500 ML
TheTeaFairy

Great note, I know what you mean, I gravitate towards the jasmine flower rather than the jasmine flavour, huge difference, right? Jasmine can be as offensive as some bergamot. I love both, but just when they are done according to my standards. Personally, I love all things jasmine from Teavivre!

__Morgana__

Great to know. When I come out of lockdown I’ll be sure to order some jasmine from Teavivre!

boychik

I just love your little pot. It seems you just ordered it, right? I’m looking for some too. Just can’t decided. I need for sheng and for shu. Did you decide on a tea?

TheTeaFairy

Oh, and happy birthday little #2, and good luck on the seasoning!! Lol, matcha bowl is missing in action, are you going to use it for the seasoning?

Nicole

Might also investigate the jasmines from Shang. They are all done with flowers, not flavoring.

__Morgana__

Thanks, Nicole, I’ll definitely keep them in mind.

TF, no, I wasn’t planning to use it for that. I was planning to drink matcha out of it. LOL

TheTeaFairy

Haha! The way you mentioned it I thought you might use in as a support while boiling or something, but didn’t think it was such a great idea, lol!

Anna

I’ve picked up some new jasmines lately, thanks for reminding me to try them.

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

Comments

TheTeaFairy

Great note, I know what you mean, I gravitate towards the jasmine flower rather than the jasmine flavour, huge difference, right? Jasmine can be as offensive as some bergamot. I love both, but just when they are done according to my standards. Personally, I love all things jasmine from Teavivre!

__Morgana__

Great to know. When I come out of lockdown I’ll be sure to order some jasmine from Teavivre!

boychik

I just love your little pot. It seems you just ordered it, right? I’m looking for some too. Just can’t decided. I need for sheng and for shu. Did you decide on a tea?

TheTeaFairy

Oh, and happy birthday little #2, and good luck on the seasoning!! Lol, matcha bowl is missing in action, are you going to use it for the seasoning?

Nicole

Might also investigate the jasmines from Shang. They are all done with flowers, not flavoring.

__Morgana__

Thanks, Nicole, I’ll definitely keep them in mind.

TF, no, I wasn’t planning to use it for that. I was planning to drink matcha out of it. LOL

TheTeaFairy

Haha! The way you mentioned it I thought you might use in as a support while boiling or something, but didn’t think it was such a great idea, lol!

Anna

I’ve picked up some new jasmines lately, thanks for reminding me to try them.

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

Profile

Bio

I got obsessed with tea in 2010 for a while, then other things intruded, then I cycled back to it. I seem to be continuing that in for a while, out for a while cycle. I have a short attention span, but no shortage of tea.

I’m a mom, writer, gamer, lawyer, reader, runner, traveler, and enjoyer of life, literature, art, music, thought and kindness, in no particular order. I write fantasy and science fiction under the name J. J. Roth.

Personal biases: I drink tea without additives. If a tea needs milk or sugar to improve its flavor, its unlikely I’ll rate it high. The exception is chai, which I drink with milk/sugar or substitute. Rooibos and honeybush were my gateway drugs, but as my tastes developed they became less appealing — I still enjoy nicely done blends. I do not mix well with tulsi or yerba mate, and savory teas are more often a miss than a hit with me. I used to hate hibiscus, but I’ve turned that corner. Licorice, not so much.

Since I find others’ rating legends helpful, I added my own. But I don’t really find myself hating most things I try.

I try to rate teas in relation to others of the same type, for example, Earl Greys against other Earl Greys. But if a tea rates very high with me, it’s a stand out against all other teas I’ve tried.

95-100 A once in a lifetime experience; the best there is

90-94 Excellent; first rate; top notch; really terrific; will definitely buy more

80-89 Very good; will likely buy more

70-79 Good; would enjoy again, might buy again

60-69 Okay; wouldn’t pass up if offered, but likely won’t buy again

Below 60 Meh, so-so, iffy, or ick. The lower the number, the closer to ick.

I don’t swap. It’s nothing personal, it’s just that I have way more tea than any one person needs and am not lacking for new things to try. Also, I have way too much going on already in daily life and the additional commitment to get packages to people adds to my already high stress level. (Maybe it shouldn’t, but it does.)

That said, I enjoy reading folks’ notes, talking about what I drink, and getting to “know” people virtually here on Steepster so I can get ideas of other things I might want to try if I can ever again justify buying more tea. I also like keeping track of what I drink and what I thought about it.

My current process for tea note generation is described in my note on this tea: https://steepster.com/teas/mariage-freres/6990-the-des-impressionnistes

Location

Bay Area, California

Website

http://www.jjroth.net

Following These People

Moderator Tools

Mark as Spammer