“Is jasmine tea a green tea?” This is a common question when people encounter jasmine scented tea. While green tea was indeed the original base for jasmine tea, as tea culture has evolved, oolong, white, black, and other tea types have gradually been introduced into the crafting process. Therefore, it is inaccurate to equate jasmine tea entirely with green tea.
Why the Impression That "Jasmine Tea Is Green Tea"?
Historical Reasons
The development of jasmine scented tea originated from traditional craftsmanship, using green tea primarily as a base at the time. Early tea makers discovered that after scenting with jasmine flowers, the bitterness of the green tea was balanced, and the tea aroma blended perfectly with the floral notes. Consequently, a green tea base became the classic pairing for jasmine tea.
Market Mainstream
Although modern jasmine tea features a more diverse range of base teas, green tea bases still dominate the market. About 90% of jasmine tea products still use green tea as a base, which reinforces the impression that “jasmine tea is just green tea.”
Flavor Profile
The crisp fragrance of jasmine complements the delicate taste of green tea. Even if the base tea is switched to oolong or black tea, the dominant aroma of jasmine may still lead people to mistakenly assume the base is green tea.
Even though jasmine tea is still predominantly made with a green tea base in most cases, the incorporation of different tea varieties like oolong, white tea, and black tea has made its flavors and varieties much richer. Jasmine tea is not equivalent to green tea. If any of your friends hold this misconception, be sure to buy them a cup of jasmine oolong tea to try.