Introducing Jasmine Nectar: Meet our new seasonal spring tea
All over the world, the arrival of spring is met with colorful celebration. Here in Portland, Oregon, the hardy camellias are always among the first blossoms to open, but the famous cherry trees of Waterfront Park soon follow, drawing crowds of hundreds to bike, skate, or picnic in the pink shade. It is a season full of reflection and transformation, two invigorating energies that are perfectly captured in Jasmine Nectar, a first-of-its-kind tea blend that is a triumphant celebration of spring.
Meet Jasmine Nectar
Numbered in honor of the first day of spring, No. 20, Jasmine Nectar has a vivacious personality that is unlike any blend Smith has produced in the past. Two classic green teas, Mao Feng and Jasmine Silver Tip, create a toasty and floral base, accentuated by cardamom, ginger and rose petals and completed with juicy nectarine and fragrant osmanthus. The osmanthus flower is native to China, where its small white blossoms have been used in traditional medicine for generations. In Jasmine Nectar, its stone-fruity flavor unites all the different elements of the blend into one sensational treat.
The flavor notes ascribed to this tea are as unorthodox as the blend itself, including lychee, cornbread and radicchio. Head teamaker Ravi Kroesen explained that the tea lab considered many delicious descriptions, but settled on these three because they capture the full depth and dimension of this blend’s buttery texture, earthy complexity and fruit-driven energy.
The Inspiration Behind This Blend
When I spoke to Ravi about his inspiration for this blend, he recounted the story of his first ever trip to the tea gardens of eastern China in the spring of 2014. He described the warmth of the farmers he met, eager to offer a smile and remembered the fresh, wholesome food of China’s Fujian, Zhejiang and Anhui provinces. Most notably, he recalled the tea gardens shaggy with a new flush of leaves, the syrupy smell of the green tea factories and the clean air perfumed with spring flowers. This exuberant scene is masterfully invoked in every sip of Jasmine Nectar.
An Ode to Spring
Spring is a season of endless possibility, promising transformation, harmony, and community. It’s a reminder to stop and smell—and sometimes taste—the flowers. Whether you embrace the lengthening days with a picnic, a walk in the park, or an overdue closet clean-out, we hope that you are able to join us in in celebrating the whimsy and vigor of the season with a perfectly steeped cup of spring. Cheers!
-Jeff Miller