Dragon Pearl (surely dragons don't smell this good?)

The Pretty Lady bought me several teas recently, from a shop that she can't remember the name of. This was one of them. I think I'll get her to bring me back there at some point, because the teas she got me were really very good. I enjoyed drinking them very much, this one perhaps the most.

Dragon pearl tea comes in individual round balls, about 5 to 7 mm in diameter. They are semi-oxidised, and have a strong jasmine fragrance. They smell absolutely delicious right out of the packet, and can actually make my mouth water.

Dragon Pearl
Oolong tea
China (Fujian province)
Pale golden yellow

Preparation: 6 or 7 pearls, with boiling water. First steeping is best, but still has flavour in up to 4 steepings.
Nose: Strong fragrant jasmine, pineapple jam.
Tasting: Sweet, floral, elusive fruit - sometimes pineapples, sometimes gooseberries. Slightly bitter at the dregs, but only after long steeping
When to drink: When hungry and with food - the strong flavours ease hunger and aren't overwhelmed by food.

Dragon pearls (龙珠) are green tea leaves dried together with jasmine blossom, then hand-rolled into pearls. Each pearl contains two leaves, sometimes with a bud, and some jasmine blossom, accounting for the strong jasmine scent. Upon steeping, each pearl expands and loses its shape as the leaves straighten out.

The tea comes from Fujian province in China. The drying process takes a long time, with unopened jasmine blossoms mixed with the tea as it dries. The blossoms open at night, and infuse the tea with jasmine fragrance. In the morning, the blossoms are changed for new unopened ones. With the best grades, the process can take up to 12 nights. Since the tea is dried for a fairly long time, it's not a green tea. Instead, it's really an oolong tea, albeit with a fairly light degree of oxidation.

I prefer a lower number of pearls than recommended - 6-7 instead of 8-10. This is because I don't use a teapot - the tea sits at the bottom of my large glass, allowing me to gulp rather than just sip. And I can refill quickly. It's an idiosyncratic way to drink, and the purists will hate it, but that's fine by me.