What is a Quality Vanilla Jasmine Tea Garden?

The vast majority of those who drink tea have tasted at least one variety of jasmine tea. However, vanilla jasmine tea, one of the most flavorful varieties of jasmine tea, is less familiar. But, you’ll not find a more delicious blend of tea than vanilla jasmine in terms of both flavor and aroma.

Jasmine is the most popular botanical for blending with tea, but combining it with vanilla is a logical, yet rare combination. Jasmine tea is China’s most popular flavored tea, and most jasmine tea is produced in China, typically using green tea leaves. However, jasmine tea, whether flavored with vanilla or not, is produced in every tea producing country in the world and can be made from any variety of tea.

Vanilla jasmine tea is not nearly as common as plain jasmine tea, so it is not as easy to find. And, since it can be made from every variety of tea in every country, it can come in a wide variety of qualities, too.

To a large extent, the quality of the tea you purchase is determined by the quality of the garden in which it’s grown. Growing tea is hard work, and careful attention must be paid to the details in order to produce the finest quality teas. In addition, to make the best vanilla jasmine tea, the gardener must use quality botanicals for combining with the tea.

The best vanilla jasmine tea gardens have skilled tea artisans who are experienced in producing vanilla jasmine blends along with the other teas they produce.

Tending a quality tea garden, regardless of the variety of tea, is a year round job.

The first work of the tea growing season begins in March, when the tea plants are pruned one last time before the first harvest begins. Then, in April or May, the tea begins being harvested. Vanilla jasmine tea made from the first plucking of the year will be the best for the entire growing season. This is because the tea leaves are the most tender during the spring. In the case of white jasmine tea, there is only one plucking each year, as white tea is, by definition a spring tea, plucked just once each year.

Once the first harvest is plucked, the tea is processed based on the variety of tea. White and green tea leaves will be simply dried and then fired or steamed before being blended with the jasmine petals and the vanilla bean and extract. Oolong teas will be fermented for a short period of time along with the drying process before they’re blended with the jasmine petals and vanilla. Black tea will be fully fermented and processed before the leaves are flavored with jasmine and vanilla.

One of the most important aspects of a quality jasmine tea garden lies in the quality of the jasmine blossoms and vanilla that are used and the blending expertise. The tea artisan must be experienced in blending the tea to ensure that the tea leaves are infused with just the right amount of jasmine and vanilla to produce the perfect flavor and aroma.

During the rest of the year, the tea garden must be tended to keep it at its best. In addition to harvesting the tea, the tea plants must be regularly weeded during the summer months. Then, in the fall, the plants must be fertilized, since this is when they grow the fastest. In October, the tea plants will be pruned in preparation for the winter.

Then throughout the winter, the tea gardener must watch any tea plants under four years of age, ensuring that they are protected from the cold.
You have many choices in vanilla jasmine tea. Depending upon the variety of the tea based used to make it; vanilla jasmine tea can have different flavors. Jasmine tea made with green tea will taste very refreshing and natural with a mild grassy flavor that is slightly sweet with a bold vanilla flavor and deep jasmine fragrance.

Vanilla jasmine tea produced from white tea will be very light in color, mild and sweet. The vanilla will be the most noticeable flavor, and the jasmine scent will be the overpowering aroma. Oolong jasmine tea will be fruity and aromatic with the subtle scent of jasmine and a vanilla sweetness.

Finally, black vanilla jasmine tea will contain the most subtle fragrance and flavor of the jasmine and vanilla, because of the stronger taste of the tea. Because there are so many blends and flavors associated with black tea, vanilla jasmine tea made from black tea can be the most varied in flavor. The tea will be largely affected by the region of the world where the tea is grown.

The best tea gardens can produce any tea that they grow to be high quality and flavorful. To choose a great vanilla jasmine tea, ensure that your tea vendor purchases his vanilla jasmine tea from a garden that is dedicated to producing quality teas, and that has the skill and experience to create a perfect vanilla jasmine blend each and every time. Then choose your vanilla jasmine tea based on quality and you’re sure to love it whether it’s a black, white, green or oolong vanilla jasmine tea.

Is Imperial Formosa Oolong Tea Available from India or Sri Lanka?

Fans of oolong tea are clamoring to get Imperial Formosa oolong tea. Because oolong teas in general are fairly rare, many people want to look to other sources to find their favorite oolong.

Oolong teas are produced in China, where oolong tea originated, Taiwan, and a small amount is produced in the Darjeeling region of India. Creating oolong tea is a labor intensive process that cannot be managed by large scale tea gardens that produce tea in a mechanized fashion. This is why oolong teas can be rare and harder to find than some other teas.

To produce oolong tea the gardener plucks the tea leaves early in the day by hand as they are ready. This may mean several pluckings over several days, as it is critical that the leaves be plucked at their exact time of readiness.

Next the leaves are spread out in the sun or in sheds to wither. They must be observed so that they are moved when the moisture is appropriately removed.

Next, the leaves are shaken to slightly bruise the edges. This bruising causes the oxidation process to begin.

The tea artisan then wraps the leaves in cloth, forming a ball. The leaves will be tumbled regularly during the remainder of the oxidation period in order to ensure that the oxidation process is even. Some oolong teas will be tumbled every hour during the oxidation period.

Once the oxidation period is completed, when the leaves are about 30% fermented and about 70% green, the leaves are inspected and picked through to ensure that the leaves are not sticking together. Pouchong oolong teas, which come only from Taiwan, are often fermented only about 15%, giving them a flavor much closer to that of green tea than other oolong teas.
Next, the leaves are fired to end the oxidation process. In many cases, oolong teas are fired over charcoal, giving them a bit of a smoky flavor.

Then the leaves are sorted according to grade and sent off for packaging.
So, as you can see, making oolong tea is time consuming, which is why there’s less of it around. Therefore, that Imperial Formosa oolong tea that you love may be more difficult to find. Thus the question, “Can I get Imperial Formosa oolong tea from India or Sri Lanka?”

Well, the short answer is “No”. You can get oolong tea from the Darjeeling region of India, known as Darjeeling oolong. Darjeeling oolong is a very rare and very delicious oolong tea. However, it’s not Imperial Formosa oolong tea.

Imperial Formosa oolong tea can only come from Taiwan. Taiwanese teas are all referred to as “Formosa” teas, because Formosa was the original name for the country of Taiwan. Therefore, all Imperial Formosa oolong tea comes from Taiwan.

As with all other teas, Imperial Formosa oolong tea’s flavor is largely affected by where it is grown. All teas gain a good deal of their flavor from the soil they’re grown in, as well as the climate of the region in which they’re grown. Even the type of trees that grow near the tea garden affect the flavor of the tea produced there.

So, that delicate blend of orange blossoms, chestnuts, dates and cedar that makes Imperial Formosa oolong tea cannot be duplicated with a tea grown anywhere else in the world.

Each region of the world produces teas that are uniquely flavored, and this is one of the things that makes tea so varied and gives us so many unique flavors from which to choose. Every part of the world is home to its own unique soil type, vegetation, climate and tea processing methods. And all of these variables combine to make each tea what it is.

So, you may want to sample an oolong tea from the Darjeeling region of India. You’ll find it very fruity and fragrant, with a distinctly muscatel flavor, like all Darjeeling teas. Like Imperial Formosa oolong tea, Darjeeling oolong can be difficult to find because very little of it is produced. But, when you do find it, it’s likely that you’ll love it.

But, it won’t be Imperial Formosa oolong. This special variety of tea can only be produced in the climate and soil of Taiwan using exactly the oolong processing methods that are used in this region of the world.

So, you may still have to shop around to find the Imperial Formosa oolong tea you’ve come to love. However, this unique tea is well worth the search. Once you’ve found a reputable tea merchant who carries Imperial Formosa oolong tea, it’s likely that they’ll be able to secure this delicious tea for you on a regular basis.

In addition, you may be able to buy your favorite Imperial Formosa oolong tea in bulk, so that you never need worry about running out.

The world of tea is varied and exciting in part because no two teas are exactly the same. Like the humans that enjoy them each tea has its own unique color, personality and flavor. And there’s certainly no reason why we can’t love each and every one of them.