The water used to steep this tea should be about 160-180°F or 70-80°C. Use about 2 teaspoons (3 grams) of tea leaves for about every 5 ounces (150 milliliters) of water. A steeping time of about 3-5 minutes with more or less time is recommended depending on the desired concentration. As a rough guide, the hotter the water or the greater the amount of leaves used, the shorter the steeping time should be. The use of a covered glass or ceramic cup is recommended for steeping in order to appreciate the tea leaves.

About Mo li Feng Yan Tea

Phoenix Eye Jasmine is a wonderful deviation from round pearls. The hand-picked spring tea buds from Fuding County, Fujian Province come from the Da Bai tea tree, the source tea for our Silver Needle white tea. Once gathered the buds are meticulously hand-rolled into the shape of a phoenix's eye, then stored until summer to await jasmine harvesting.

When jasmine is available, the rolled tea is baked to drop its water content in preparation for scenting. Fresh flowers are then spread on top of the dry tea overnight so that the moisture and scent from the flowers are absorbed by the tea. The same process is repeated for several days.

The larger leaf buds steeps a tea that is rich and creamy - reminiscent of jasmine scented buttercream frosting.

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Mo Li Feng Yan pertains to the elite group of Jasmine teas, for which China has long been celebrated. Production is extremely labor-intensive. Unopened white jasmine buds are picked very early in the morning and then kept in the cool till dusk. In the early evening when the tiny flowers begin to open with a characteristic light crackling, they are mixed with already dried tea leaves and buds. There are seven 4-hour stages of aromatization total. After each stage jasmine is carefully removed from the tea. The delicate hand-rolled leaves of Mo Li Feng Yan resemble an eye or a silkworm cocoon. On their glossy surface white hairs are clearly visible, going well with hues of rich brown and dark-green. The tea yields pale-green liquor. Thick fine aroma of jasmine perfectly complements fresh full-bodied taste of tea.