Tea Guides

Our Floral Green Tea is for people who want their green tea to smell as good as it tastes. It's grown at altitude in Nepal's Ilam district and has a naturally aromatic character close to jasmine. None of that comes from added flowers or flavouring. It comes from the growing conditions: cool mountain air, slow leaf growth and careful processing give it a floral profile that's unusual and delicious.

What Is Floral Green Tea?

Floral Green Tea is a lightly processed green tea from Nepal's Ilam district. It's made from young buds and leaves that develop a natural, jasmine-like aroma as they grow slowly at high altitude. Scented green teas get their jasmine by layering jasmine flowers with the tea leaves during processing. In our Floral Green Tea, the floral character comes from the tea plant itself, from terpene compounds it produces when it grows slowly in cool conditions.

The same thing makes high-mountain Taiwanese oolong aromatic without any added flavouring. Altitude and cool temperatures push the tea plant to produce more volatile aromatic compounds, and these carry through into the cup when the tea is processed and brewed with care.

Flavour Profile

The aroma is jasmine and honey, clearly floral, and you can smell it even before you brew. The cup is light and naturally sweet, with a clean vegetal base and a floral finish that lingers. Brewed at the right temperature it has no bitterness and no astringency. It's a gentle, aromatic green tea that makes a lovely afternoon cup.

It's lighter and more aromatic than our Organic Light Green Tea, which tastes cleaner and more purely vegetal. If you want a green tea with some perfume to it, choose the Floral Green.

Who Is Floral Green Tea For?

• Floral tea lovers who enjoy jasmine tea but would rather the floral notes came from the tea itself, not from added flowers
• Afternoon drinkers, since it's light on caffeine, has calming L-theanine, and is pleasant and aromatic without being stimulating
• Oolong explorers, because its aroma leads naturally toward our Floral Oolong Tea
• Gift buyers, since the smell when you open the pouch makes an immediate impression, and it looks good in photos and as a gift

How to Brew Floral Green Tea

Water temperature: 80 to 85°C. The floral aromas are delicate, and boiling water will drive them off and leave a flat, slightly bitter cup. Let boiled water cool for 3 to 5 minutes, or use a temperature-controlled kettle.

Leaf ratio: 1 teaspoon (1.5 to 2g) per 250ml.

Steep time: 2 minutes. The floral notes come out early in the steep and can get muted if you leave it too long. Taste at 1.5 minutes and only steep longer if you need to.

No additions: Milk and sugar cover up the floral character completely. Drink it plain, ideally from a glass or a white ceramic cup so you can see the pale yellow-green colour.

Re-steeping: A second steep at 85°C for 2.5 minutes often tastes a little sweeter and less grassy than the first, and many people prefer it.

Natural vs. Added Floral Character in Tea

Most "floral" green teas on the market get their aroma by scenting the leaves with jasmine flowers during processing. It's a traditional Chinese technique and the result is pleasant, but the aroma comes from the flowers, not from the tea plant.

Our Floral Green Tea gets its aroma from growing conditions alone. The volatile compounds found in jasmine flowers (linalool, geraniol and related terpenes) are also produced naturally by tea plants grown slowly in cool, high-altitude conditions. The same process gives high-mountain oolongs their floral character and Darjeeling second flush its muscatel notes.

Floral Green Tea vs. Organic Light Green Tea

• Floral Green Tea: more aromatic and jasmine-forward, naturally perfumed. Better if you want fragrance and presence.
• Organic Light Green Tea: cleaner and more purely vegetal, certified organic. Better if you want a straightforward, high-quality green tea with organic certification.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the floral flavour natural or added?

Natural. The jasmine-like aroma comes from the tea plant itself, grown at altitude in cool conditions that encourage aromatic compounds. There are no flowers, flavourings or additives.

How does Floral Green Tea compare to jasmine green tea?

Traditional jasmine green tea is scented with jasmine flowers, so its floral notes are real but come from outside the tea. Our Floral Green Tea's floral character is produced naturally by the tea plant. It's more integrated and subtle, and you still taste the tea's own character underneath.

How much caffeine is in Floral Green Tea?

About 20 to 40mg per cup, which is less than black tea and much less than coffee. Together with L-theanine, it gives you calm, focused alertness rather than a jolt.

What's the best way to store it to preserve the aroma?

Keep the pouch sealed and away from light, heat and strong-smelling foods. Green teas pick up odours more easily than black teas, so don't store it near spices or coffee. Use it within 12 months of opening for the best aroma.

Does Nepal Hills ship Floral Green Tea to Canada?

Yes. We ship across Canada from Peterborough, Ontario, and shipping is free on orders over $60 CAD.

The Bottom Line

Floral Green Tea is the most aromatic of our green teas: naturally jasmine-forward, smooth and light, and opening the pouch is almost as nice as drinking the cup. If aroma matters as much to you as flavour, this is the green tea to choose.

Buy Floral Green Tea, or try both of our green teas alongside the full range in the Tea Sampler Kit.