Like many great inventions, the technique of scenting tea was discovered by accident.
Centuries ago farmers planted peaches, apricots, magnolias, and sweet orchids to provide shade and moisture for their young tea gardens. Much to their surprise, when these fruit and flower trees bloomed, the tender sprouts and buds of tea absorbed the aromas, which were passed on to those who drank the infusions
One of the most ancient scented teas is without doubt the Jasmine tea, first created 800 years ago during the Song Dynasty for the Emperor and Empress, and relies on the fragrance of the jasmine flowers to scent a tea.
Lapsang souchong is also a scented tea - smoky beyond compare-and is often called the Scotch drinkers tea. It came about curiously, too: as tea caravans traveled the legendary silk roads across Central Asia, the tea often arrived infused with the smoke of evening campfires. Today, though the tea leaves are smoked artfully over pine fires, the tea is still known as Russian Caravan tea.
About a century and a half ago, the Moroccans began scenting green gunpowder tea with fresh and dried mint leaves. Now this is treated with all the reverence due an ancient tradition.
There are so many kinds of scented teas which are so pleasant to discover, so start now!