Peach Jasmine Dragon Pearl Green Tea by Teavivre

Peach Jasmine Dragon Pearl Green Tea by Teavivre

Seller Description: This Peach Jasmine Dragon Pearl Green Tea is made in the same method of making Premium Jasmine Dragon Pearls and Superfine Jasmine Downy Dragon Pearls. It is rolled into small pearl balls and dried. By maintained in the dry condition, the teas will be mixed with natural peach extractives, which produce the special peachy flavor. After brewed, peach aroma will be revealed in the tea leaves as well as in the tea liquid. When the peach flavor becomes thinner after several steep, you can then taste the jasmine fragrance.
Website: Peach Jasmine Dragon Pearl Green Tea by Teavivre

Sample source: Company Provided

Teaware: 16oz glass infuser mug
Measured dry: 2 teaspoon
Water Temperature: 175º F
Steeping Time: 2 minutes, then added 1 minute
Additives: 2 teaspoons of raw sugar added later

As soon as I opened the package I was hit with a wave of peach! It's more of a dried peach smell than the aroma of fresh fruit, but it does seem real and not in any way artificial. I'm not picking up any notes from the green yet, because the peach is so prevalent. The pearls themselves are adorable - small and tightly wound, they seem like they're just sleeping, waiting to wake up and spread out.

And spread out they did! They more than quadrupled in size!

Now, I have a bit of a sweet tooth, so I tried the liquor in two ways - with and without raw sugar. When I added it, the peach dominates the cup, leaving the green base in the role of aftertaste, and I was barely able to pick out the jasmine at all. Without sugar, it's a whole different ball game. The jasmine and green twine together so gorgeously it's difficult to tell them apart, and the peach is left as a sweet aftertaste.

But the Western method just didn't seem like the way to get the most out of this tea, so I pulled out my gaiwan and made another batch.

Teaware: Yixing gaiwan (90ml)
Measured dry: 1 teaspoon
Water Temperature: 185º F

Steeping Time: 2 minutes each steep
Additives: None

Last time I made this, I hit the "green" button on my kettle without thinking about it. This time I used water that was just a little hotter, in line with the steeping recommendations.

First Steep: The package said 1-2 minutes, and because I had to add a minute to the first attempt, I went with the longer two-minute steep. I think this would have been better with a shorter steep, as it is more than a little bitter. 

Second Steep: Oh, that is so much better! This is tasting a lot closer to the unsweetened tea I made with the Western method. There is still a slight kick, but nothing like the first steep. The aroma owes a lot to the peach, but it is a much lighter note in the flavor.

Third Steep: All traces of bitterness are gone now, and this makes for a much smoother cup. The green's vegetal notes are becoming more prominent, and the jasmine is taking a step back. There is still a faint peach in the aftertaste, but it's much lighter. This is definitely my favorite of the gaiwan steeps.

Prominent Notes: Vegetal green notes and jasmine

Aftertaste: Peach

Overall: An enjoyable way to spend an afternoon!