Jasmine Dragon Pearls Grades: What Makes One Better

In short: all jasmine dragon pearls are green tea hand-rolled into small balls and scented with fresh jasmine blossoms. What separates a basic grade from a top one is four things: how tender the pluck was (bud only, or bud plus one or two leaves), how many nights the tea spent with fresh flowers (from about three to ten), how small and tight the pearls are, and how many silver buds you can see. The higher the grade, the softer and sweeter the cup, the more infusions it gives, and the less likely it is to turn bitter.

If you already know what jasmine pearls are and how to brew them, this guide goes one step further and explains why two tins that look alike can taste very different. For the basics, see our post on what jasmine dragon pearls are and how to brew them.

What "grade" means for jasmine pearls

China has no single official grading scale for jasmine pearls the way it does for some black teas. Grades are set by the producer and describe the raw material and the amount of scenting work. Four things decide where a tea lands.

• Leaf pluck. Entry grades use a bud with two leaves picked in April or May. Premium grades use a bud with one leaf, and the very top uses buds alone, picked in the first weeks of spring in Fujian.
• Scenting rounds. Each round means a fresh batch of jasmine flowers, picked at midday and mixed with the tea as they open at night, then removed in the morning. Three to four rounds give a pleasant floral tea. Seven to ten rounds give a scent that sits inside the leaf rather than on top of it.
• Pearl size and roll. Smaller, tighter pearls mean younger leaves and more hand work. Big loose pearls unfurl fast and release tannins quickly.
• Silver tips. The downy white hairs on young buds show up as silver streaks on the pearls. More silver means more buds and a sweeter, thicker liquor.

Our four grades side by side

We carry four jasmine pearl teas, from an everyday favorite to a competition-grade tea. Here is how they compare.

How the difference shows in the cup

Brew the entry grade and the top grade the same way and the contrast is clear in three places.

Aroma. A lower grade smells strongly of jasmine when dry, then fades noticeably by the second infusion. A high grade smells more restrained in the tin but keeps its floral note through four, five or six steeps, because the scent was absorbed over many nights rather than added at the end.

Texture. Buds carry more natural sugars and amino acids than mature leaves. That is why Imperial and Linglong Pearl King feel thicker and almost creamy, while the standard grade is lighter and more refreshing.

Forgiveness. Mature leaves give up tannins fast. Oversteep an everyday grade by a minute and it turns sharp. A bud-heavy grade stays smooth even when you forget the timer, which makes it the better choice for a gaiwan with short, repeated infusions.

Spotting quality before you brew

You can read a lot from the dry pearls alone.

1. Look for silver, not just green. Dull, uniform dark green pearls usually mean older leaves. Streaks of white down mean buds.
2. Check the size. Pearls the size of a small pea or smaller point to young leaves and a careful roll. Marble-sized pearls are a lower grade.
3. Smell the dry leaf. Fresh jasmine with a cool green note behind it is right. A flat, candy-like sweetness suggests flavoring rather than real flowers.

Brewing each grade to its strengths

Use 1 teaspoon (3 g) of pearls for 250 ml / 8 oz of water, and adjust the temperature and time to the grade.

• Jasmine Dragon Pearls: 175°F / 80°C, 2 to 3 minutes. Re-steep twice. It also makes a clean, fragrant cold brew: 5 g per liter in the fridge for 8 hours.
• Imperial and Phoenix Eye: 175°F / 80°C, 2 minutes for the first cup, then add 30 seconds per steep. Expect four or five infusions.
• Linglong Pearl King: 170°F / 75°C and short steeps of 45 to 60 seconds in a gaiwan or small glass pot, 5 g per 150 ml. Six or more infusions are normal, and the buds keep giving sweetness long after the jasmine fades.

Whatever the grade, never use boiling water. It scorches the young leaves and strips the floral note in seconds. If you want to explore scented teas further, the jasmine tea collection also has jasmine white and oolong, and the Chinese green tea page shows the unscented teas that pearls are made from.

Which grade should you buy?

Start with the standard Jasmine Dragon Pearls if you drink jasmine tea with meals, make iced tea, or are trying pearls for the first time. Move up to Imperial or Phoenix Eye when you brew in a gaiwan and want a tea that rewards a third and fourth infusion. Save the Gold Award Linglong Pearl King for a quiet tasting or a gift for someone who already loves jasmine tea; brewed carelessly it is wasted, brewed gently it shows what ten nights of scenting can do.

A practical tip: buy a small amount of two grades and brew them side by side with the same water and timer. The difference is easier to taste than to describe. Browse the full range on our green tea page.

Frequently asked questions

Are more expensive jasmine pearls always better?

Not for every use. A top grade is softer and more complex, but its subtlety is lost in iced tea or a milky latte. For those, an everyday grade tastes brighter and costs less per pitcher.

How many times are good jasmine pearls scented?

Everyday grades are usually scented three to five times. Premium grades go to seven, and the finest pearls spend nine or ten nights with fresh flowers, with the spent blossoms removed each morning.

Why do my jasmine pearls taste bitter?

Almost always the water was too hot or the steep too long. Drop to 175°F / 80°C and 2 minutes. If it is still bitter, the pearls are made from older leaves, which release tannin faster.

Do jasmine pearls contain caffeine?

Yes. They are green tea, so a cup holds roughly 25 to 40 mg of caffeine, a little more in bud-heavy grades. Later infusions have progressively less.

How should I store jasmine pearls?

In an airtight tin away from light, heat and other aromas. The scent fades over time, so buy amounts you will finish within about six months.