Gardenia flowers have a white floral aroma that is somewhat similar to jasmine, but with a distinctive cool, fresh quality that makes the fragrance feel especially light and elegant. When paired with oolong tea, that floral aroma becomes even sweeter and more refreshing. In recent years, gardenia oolong has become a popular choice for cold brewing, especially during the summer.
In this blog, let’s explore where gardenia comes from, how the tea is made, what it tastes like, and how to brew it.
1. The History and Origin of Gardenia Flowers
1) A Brief History of Gardenia
Gardenia is native to China and is named after its fruit, which resembles the ancient bronze wine vessel known as a “zhi” (卮) from the Shang and Zhou dynasties. It has long been one of China’s traditional ornamental flowers.
Gardenia became popular during the Tang Dynasty and was often grown as an ornamental plant in the gardens of scholars and literati.
The flowers are pure white and delicate, with a rich yet fresh fragrance and a distinctive cool quality. Their scent is strong enough to be noticed even from a distance. Gardenia fragrance comes from a complex mix of volatile compounds, including linalool, linalyl acetate, and jasmine ketone.
Gardenia has also been part of everyday life in China for centuries. Its fruit was recorded as a medicinal ingredient in the Shennong Bencao Jing, an ancient Chinese materia medica. The fruit has also traditionally been used for dyeing fabric, cooking, and making soups.
2) Origin of Gardenia
Gardenias are mainly grown in southern and central China, especially in Qianwei, Sichuan, as well as parts of Zhejiang, Jiangsu, and Hubei.
As gardenia flowers can be used to scent tea, while the fruit is also used in traditional applications and as a seasoning, gardenia cultivation has expanded in recent years.
There is one simple rule when it comes to scented tea: fresh flowers are essential. So the tea-scenting process usually takes place where the flowers are grown and harvested.
2. How Is Gardenia Oolong Made?
1) Which Gardenia Varieties Are Suitable for Scenting Tea?
There are more than 20 native gardenia varieties in China, but only a few are commonly considered suitable for making scented tea, including Large-leaf Gardenia, Small-leaf Gardenia, and Four-season Gardenia.
These varieties have large flowers, multiple layers of petals, or particularly strong fragrances. Each has its own character. Large-leaf Gardenia has a bold and intense aroma, while Small-leaf Gardenia is more delicate, with a subtle creamy note. Four-season Gardenia has a lighter fragrance that lingers for a long time.
These qualities are especially important for tea scenting, where the flowers need to release a strong fragrance that lasts.
2) When Is the Best Time to Make Gardenia-Scented Tea?
Gardenia usually flowers from May through July, with the peak flowering season around June. This is when the flowers have their strongest fragrance and are considered to be at their best for tea scenting.
Gardenias harvested around the middle of June are especially suitable for making scented tea. The flowers should also be picked when they are partially open. If they are picked too early, the fragrance may not have fully developed. If they are picked too late, the flowers can begin to fall apart, which can affect the quality of the finished tea.
3) How Is Gardenia Tea Scented?
The scenting process for gardenia tea is similar to that used for jasmine tea. It generally includes several steps: picking the flowers, conditioning the flowers, scenting the tea, removing the flowers, and drying the tea.
① Picking the fresh flowers:
On a sunny day, flowers that have opened that day are picked when their fragrance is at its strongest.
② Fresh Flower Preparation:
The fresh flowers are spread out in a thin layer in a clean, cool place. This helps keep them fresh while allowing them to naturally release their fragrance.
Before scenting begins, damaged or unsuitable flowers are removed. In some regions, the flower centers that can have a slightly sour or astringent taste are also removed.
③ Scenting the tea:
The fresh flowers and tea base are mixed together in carefully measured proportions, usually by layering tea and flowers. The mixture is then left for around 18 hours, allowing the tea leaves to slowly absorb the floral aroma.
When the temperature of the tea and flower pile rises above 50°C (122°F), it needs to be turned over to release heat.
④ Removing the flowers:
After the scenting process is complete, the flowers become wilted and turn yellowish-brown. At this point, they are screened out and removed from the tea.
⑤ Drying:
The tea leaves absorb moisture during the long scenting process, so they need to be dried again with heat after the flowers are removed.
⑥ Final scenting:
After the final scenting and drying, a small amount of fresh flowers may be used for one last round of scenting. This helps bring out a fresher and more lively floral aroma.
3. What Does Gardenia Oolong Taste Like?
Gardenia oolong is mainly characterized by its rich gardenia fragrance. The floral aroma feels fresh, elegant, and bright, with a distinctive cool quality. You may notice a clear white-floral character along with a subtle creamy note.
The gardenia aroma is quite expressive and blends beautifully with the natural fragrance of the oolong tea.
The tea itself is smooth, light, and naturally sweet, with very little bitterness or astringency. Drinking it can feel a little like sitting in a garden full of blooming gardenias in the middle of summer. Each sip carries a generous amount of floral aroma, and the fragrance lingers in the mouth long after you swallow.
Gardenia oolong is especially enjoyable in summer. Its naturally cool and refreshing character makes it a great choice for hot days, with a pleasant cooling sensation in the finish. If you enjoy strongly scented floral teas, this is definitely a style worth trying.
If you’re interested in Gardenia Oolong, check out the link for more details >>
4. How to Brew Gardenia Oolong
Gardenia oolong can be enjoyed both hot and cold.
When brewed hot, the aroma feels more lively and rounded. Cold brewing brings out more sweetness, freshness, and a cooling character. During the summer, cold-brewed gardenia oolong can be especially refreshing and sweet.
1) Gaiwan Brewing
Water temperature: 95–100°C / 203–212°F
Tea-to-water ratio: 1:20, or 5g of tea to 100mL of water
Steeping time: 15–20 seconds for the first infusion, then add 5–10 seconds for each subsequent infusion
You can usually get around 6–7 infusions from the same leaves.
If you are new to using a gaiwan, just be careful when handling the hot lid and cup.
2) Mug or Glass Brewing
Water temperature: 95–100°C / 203–212°F
Tea-to-water ratio: 1:100, or 3g of tea to 300mL of water
Steeping time: 2–3 minutes, then add about 1 minute for each subsequent infusion
When there is about one-third of the tea left in your cup, you can add more hot water. This helps keep the flavor more consistent from one infusion to the next.
If you find the tea too light, try using more leaves. For example, you can adjust the tea-to-water ratio to around 1:50.
3) Cold Brew: My Favorite Way
Water: Room-temperature water, preferably filtered or purified water
Tea-to-water ratio: 1:100, or 5g of tea to 500mL of water
Cold-brewing time: Place the tea and water in a cold-brew bottle and refrigerate for 4–12 hours.
The tea can be cold-brewed 2–3 times. Each infusion has a fresh, sweet floral aroma, making this a particularly enjoyable way to drink gardenia oolong during warm weather.
5. Other Gardenia Scented Teas
Gardenia flowers can also be used to scent other tea bases, including black tea, green tea, and white tea. The tea base makes a noticeable difference in the final flavor.
1) Gardenia Green Tea
The rich floral aroma of gardenia works beautifully with the fresh, lively character of green tea.
The gardenia fragrance takes the lead, while the green tea adds a fresh and clean quality. The tea tastes fresh, sweet, and refreshing, with very little bitterness or astringency. The finish is clean, and the floral aroma lingers in the mouth for quite a while.
If you’re interested in Gardenia Green Tea, check out the link for more details >>
2) Gardenia Black Tea
When gardenia meets black tea, the bold floral fragrance becomes softer and more delicate, while the smooth and full-bodied character of black tea gives the floral aroma a warmer foundation.
The two complement each other nicely. The first sip brings a clear, elegant gardenia aroma, followed by a smooth and full-bodied tea texture. The sweetness of the gardenia and the mellow character of the black tea work together, leaving a lasting sweetness in the finish.
If you’re interested in Gardenia Black Tea, check out the link for more details >>
