Definition: Jasmine tea generally refers to a tea (not an "herbal tea") that has been scented with jasmine flowers or flavorings. Jasmine tea is usually made with green tea.
How Jasmine Tea is Scented
Traditional jasmine green tea is harvested, made into green tea, stored until the jasmine flower harvest, and then scented during a multi-day process. There are two ways the tea can be scented with jasmine.
Making & Drinking Jasmine Tea
Jasmine tea is usually best steeped with filtered water that is around 190 degrees Fahrenheit (simmering, not boiling). Three minutes is usually plenty. About one teaspoon per cup of loose-leaf jasmine tea is good, but you can use less tea or more water if you are brewing jasmine pearls (which only take a few pearls per cup) or jasmine flowering tea (one "flower" is enough for a large mug or whole pot of tea).
When drinking jasmine tea, be sure to enjoy its soothing aroma and soft aftertaste. If the aftertaste is astringent or cloying, try a different jasmine tea, lower your steeping temperature or shorten your steeping time. A good quality, well steeped jasmine tea should be light and clean, with an aroma and aftertaste like a fine perfume.
Jasmine tea pairs very well with many foods, so feel free to experiment with jasmine tea pairings!