Its scented tea month at The Naked Leaf and what better tea to highlight than the classic, flowery and aromatic jasmine tea. With a beautiful scent and delicate balance of flavour between the flower and the tea leaf, jasmine tea truly is one of a kind.

Making fine jasmine tea requires precision, expertise and a great deal time. The highest grade of jasmine teas come from the Fujian region of China. Jasmine and other scented teas have existed in China since the Ming dynasty (1368-1644). The most crucial part of making jasmine tea is obtaining the best jasmine flowers as they bloom. During the Fujian provinces sweltering summer the jasmine flowers will begin to bud. During the night the flowers will open, and their aroma hits its peak potency near the middle of the evening. Experienced pickers will set out at night and choose only the best flowers based on their color. Getting the best flowers requires some serious dedication as pickers will have to stay out until 4:00 AM! The Jasmine will then be left in a heated room for four hours as their aroma evolves, and buds open further.

After the buds have opened fully, the flowers are ready to be mixed in with tea leaves, heated and monitored for up to twelve hours as the leaves absorb the aromas from the flowers. The process is not over yet as the jasmine leaves will need to be scented more than once to achieve the desired aroma and taste. The old jasmine flowers must be removed, and new flowers introduced, the leaves will be scented again and again until the scent master is satisfied with the teas’ aroma. For premium jasmine teas the leaves may be scented up to five times and the entire process can take up to a month to complete. A good sign of a high-quality jasmine tea is the lack of jasmine flowers mixed in with the tea as the jasmine flower loses its aroma only four hours after it is used to scent the tea. Lower grade Jasmine teas may leave the flowers in the blend to add bulk to the tea but will not add any benefit to the flavour.

At The Naked Leaf we are proud to serve high-quality jasmine teas and offer four varieties. The Jasmine Leaf is our classic jasmine that stands well above the average restaurant jasmine tea. If you’re looking for that classic jasmine taste this is certainly the tea for you. The Jasmine Pearls are a more premium tea and after the scenting process has been completed, the leaves of this tea are hand rolled into small pearls. The rolling process preserves the oils of the tea leaf that would normally evaporate if the leaf were left open. The result is a sweeter jasmine tea with a more textured and robust jasmine flavour. Our Premium Jasmine Oolong combines an extended jasmine scenting process with a premium oolong tea. This tea provides a complex and balanced flavour as the darker tones of the oolong counterpoint the sweet floral aroma of jasmine. For those looking for an exceptional treat, our Silver Needle Jasmine (pictured) is amazing. The leaves must be picked by expert hands to ensure the tea is composed entirely of the delicate downy buds of the tea plant. The beauty of this tea lies within the light, bright and smooth flavour provided by the tea-leaf that works in tandem with the jasmine scent to provide a velvety texture that coats the entire mouth. Try this tea if you are looking for an extremely refined jasmine experience.

Happy Green Tea Month at The Naked Leaf! As it turns out, one of the world’s most talked about teas is also one of the most diverse.

Green tea, grown predominantly in China and Japan, has undergone the least amount of “withering” in its preparation process, and therefore carries an incredibly fresh, vegetal taste in all its forms. That being said, the variety in flavor between countries––and even within countries––is staggering. China’s green tea is known for its nutty, earthier taste and has a preparation process differs from Japan’s. The teas are usually panfried in a large wok, heated underneath by a fire. This cooking of the leaves imparts a slightly deeper taste making them bolder. A perfect example of this robust falvor is our Teng Chong Hui Lang Zhai. It perfectly embodies a nutty Chinese green tea taste, and leaves a full-bodied taste in your mouth. Alternatively, a representation of a lighter Chinese green tea on our shelves is our Emerald Needle green tea. This early-spring harvest tea is wonderfully light with vegetal notes, but still maintains some of the richness often sought after in Chinese greens.

Unlike China where a dry heat is used to stop oxidation, Japan’s preparation of green tea often uses intense steam heat. Using water to heat the leaves imparts little to no additional flavor on the leaves, and brings out the grassy, ‘umami’ flavor Japanese greens are best known for. This process is best represented in our Sencha teas. Our Fukumushi Sencha and Sencha Fukamidori are in all year, and are the perfect standard of Sencha quality. If you want to find more refined experience, we  have the Asanoka Sencha (an exquisite higher quality Sencha tea), or our Premium Kabusecha. Kabusecha uses higher quality leaves altogether, and has a more pronounced umami taste. On a different end of the spectrum for Japanese green teas is our Houjicha, which is made from the stem of the tea leaf and roasted instead of steamed. This roasted Japanese green tea is a personal favorite, and the flavor is fit to win over coffee fanatics!

Finally, we reach Matcha. There is no doubt that you have heard of this magic tea powder from countless articles or health blogs. Let’s clear the air about what it really is you’re drinking! When Japanese green tea reaches its highest possible quality, it is either left alone to create loose-leaf tea called Gyokuro, or turned into Matcha. Matcha is tea that has been ground up into an incredibly fine powder, and traditionally is often meant to be whisked directly into water and enjoyed in its purest form. Since you are actually ingesting the entire leaf, as it is completely ground up, you are getting all of those incredible nutrients green tea has to offer. You are also getting all the caffeine! I have taken to calling Matcha the “espresso shot of tea,” since it packs all of the punch that a tea leaf has to offer. You can have it by itself for a lovely, fresh, grassy bowl of goodness, or you can experiment  with it! Due to its powdered nature, using our culinary matcha makes for a perfect baking buddy. Add our mildly sweetened matcha in your smoothie for a boost of green tea goodness. (Pro tip: that’s how all of those fancy cafés make your green tea lattes!)

This post doesn’t consider all of the amazing blends and combinations green teas can be a part of, such as our Kashmiri Chai (a green tea chai blend custom made in India) and our Genmaicha with Matcha (that delicious Japanese green tea you’re always being served at sushi restaurants). Come in, ask about our green tea, and strap in to be led through the countless varieties we have to offer!