Character
The Story of Jasmine tea
A delicate accord combining jasmine's heady, narcotic floralcy with the dry, slightly bitter character of brewed tea. Creamy blossom opens into tannic warmth, as if steam curls from a porcelain cup. The scent bridges ancient Chinese tea culture and jasmine's sacred perfumery heritage.
Heritage
Jasmine and tea have distinct yet converging histories. Jasmine appears in ancient Indian texts from the Vedic era, and cultivation flourished around Madurai by the 5th century BC. Chinese tea culture adopted jasmine during the Song Dynasty, when artisans discovered that tea leaves absorb jasmine's nocturnal perfume. The city of Fuzhou developed the complete jasmine tea production process, which remains unique to this day. Meanwhile, Arab traders introduced jasmine to Provence in 1548, and Grasse became the center of European jasmine cultivation for perfume. By the Qing Dynasty, commercial jasmine tea production was established in Fujian province. Today, jasmine absolute originates primarily from Egypt, India, and Morocco, while Grasse retains symbolic status as the birthplace of modern jasmine perfumery. The accord bridges these traditions: Chinese scenting methods and French haute parfumerie.
At a Glance
8
Feature this note
China
Primary source region
Ingredient Details
Solvent extraction (for jasmine absolute); blended accord
Fresh flower petals (jasmine); aromatic blend (tea accord)
Did You Know
"Jasmine flowers release their scent only after dark, when nocturnal moths pollinate them. Harvesting happens at midnight for peak aromatic intensity."