Tea Information:

Leaf Type:  Green

Where to Buy:  Stash Tea

Tea Description:

Learn more about this tea here.

Taster’s Review:

I LOVE this tea!  LOVE IT!

When I first opened the pouch, I was greeted with an aroma that is very grassy.  The fragrance reminded me of that very first lawn cutting in spring, when the grass is tender and beginning to bear fresh, new blades after the cold of winter.  It smells like that freshly mown lawn, clean, crisp and vibrant.

So, I was astonished when I took my first sip and my first reaction was:  Pepper!  That’s what I tasted.  I tasted again to see if my taste buds were deceiving me, but, again, I tasted fresh ground black pepper.  After a couple of sips, the flavor tapered somewhat and tasted a bit more like a peppery cinnamon rather than black pepper, but there is a distinct spice tone to this tea.  It is warm and quite enjoyable.

As I continue to sip, more flavors reveal themselves to me.  It is not nearly as vegetative as the aroma of the dry leaf would suggest.  In fact, there is not a grassy tone to be tasted in this cup!  Maybe a mild vegetable taste, but not what I would call grassy.  It is sweet and has a honey-esque tone to it, tasting a bit – as the description above suggests – like honeysuckle.

After my first infusion, I noticed that the tightly spiraled leaves looked like they did when they were dry.  That is to say, they had barely unfurled.  You know what that means:  multiple infusions!  I managed three very delicious infusions from the same measurement of leaves, and I might have been able to get a fourth if I had the time to brew it.

This one gets high marks from me – I highly recommend it!

Tea Information:

Leaf Type:  Green

Where to Buy:  Zhi Tea

Tea Description:

We took our tip-top grade organic sencha we get from Japan (which would not normally be a blending base, the second grade is used for that), added organic grapefruit extract and organic pink grapefruit peel.

The result: a delightful top note that sits delicately over the rich grassiness of the sencha. Perfect, subtle, intoxicating aromatics. Very addicting.

Learn more about this tea here.

Taster’s Review:

This is a wonderful grapefruit flavored green tea.  As I may have mentioned here before, I have been on a sort of ‘quest’ to find a spectacular grapefruit flavored green tea, and this one comes as close as any other that I’ve tried up until now.

A couple of years ago, I had tried a grapefruit green tea in Arizona, and I absolutely loved it.  And while I have actually found the source of that actual grapefruit tea, somehow, that tea just doesn’t taste the same as I remember.  I don’t know what it is.  It could be the water tastes different here than in Arizona, or the water temperature used to brew it was different … or maybe it was just the magical quality of Tohono Chul Park that made the tea taste so indescribably good. So, even though I have actually found the source of the tea that I tried in Arizona, and it is NOT this tea, this tea actually reminds me more of the tea I tried in Arizona than the actual tea that is sold in Arizona!

It has a lovely pink grapefruit flavor – tangy but not overtly tart, with a pleasant sweetness that counters the tangy note and keeps it in balance.  Sort of like that sprinkling of sweetener on top of a half a grapefruit, this tea manages that flavor without the addition of sugar.

And I think that is because of the tea base.  The Japanese Sencha is sweet and just barely vegetal.  Not a grassy taste, really, but more like a hint of freshly steamed vegetables in the background.   I think that these two components – green tea and grapefruit flavor – have been masterfully paired by Zhi Tea.

It is delicious and refreshing as a hot tea.  It needs no sweetener, but, a little sugar wouldn’t hurt it if you want a sweeter grapefruit flavor.  And as wonderful as it is hot, I think I shall save the remainder of my sample of this tea to brew for iced tea, because I suspect that this tea is even more incredible iced.

Tea Information:

Leaf Type:  Green

Where to Buy:  Green Tea Lovers

Tea Description:

A luxury Jasmine green tea with cornflower, safflower, osmanthus, calendula and sunflower petals. The cup is a heavenly mixture of sweet floral notes and grassy undertones. A fabulous blend befitting the island that gives it its name.

Learn more about this tea here.

Taster’s Review:

What a lovely Jasmine.  This is the kind of jasmine green tea I’d recommend to someone who has had jasmine in the past and has found it disagreeable because the jasmine tones were too strong, verging on the edge of soapy.  This jasmine is so gentle and soothing, I think that it could those tea drinker’s beliefs about jasmine tea.

The green tea base is light.  It has a sweet overtone and just a hint of grassy taste.  It is smooth with a creamy note that melds quite nicely with the floral tones.  It is not bitter and there is very little astringency to the cup.  A very nice, mild tea to meld with the exotic flavor of jasmine.

As I’ve already indicated, the jasmine notes here are quite gentle.  It doesn’t come across as soapy or aggressive, instead it is smooth; a very harmonious match for the creaminess of the green tea base.

The osmanthus flower is probably the next flavor that I notice, and it offers a whisper of peach-like flavor that weaves its way in and out of the sip.  Adding a bit of contrast is the sharpness of sunflower.  The other flowers – calendula, cornflower and safflower – do not affect the flavor as much as the affect the appearance of the dry leaf, giving it a gorgeous look to match its beautiful flavor.

Overall, a very smooth floral tea, where the jasmine is the most pronounced of the flowers, but it is not so strong that it overpowers the other floral notes.  A very nice cup; this is one of those jasmine teas that jasmine lovers as well as those on the fence about jasmine are likely to enjoy.

I hope you’ll bear with me as I do something a little different with tonight’s post.

As a subscriber to the Steepster Select program, I receive a box with three different teas.  Each month there is a different theme.  This month’s theme is “The Big Chill.”  The box also includes a postcard size card that offers some insight on the theme, as well as the teas that are chosen.

Here is the description of The Big Chill:

For when winter seeps into the bones and dull skies numb the spirit, we have just the teas to warm you through and through.

A smokey black tea, fire crackling at your feet.
A chai with warming spices, heat spreading from sip to fingertips.
A peppermint-blended green tea, the remembrance of holidays past.

Seasons greetings from Steepster.

This month, I have already reviewed the smoky black tea and the chai with warming spices, but have not yet reviewed the peppermint-blended green tea.  That’s because I already reviewed this tea back in November, and since it was such a short time ago, I didn’t feel the need to review it once again.  My thoughts on this tea haven’t changed:  it still tastes crisp and minty and refreshing. However, I didn’t want to let January close without having mentioned the third tea.

The teas that were chosen for this month’s Steepster Select were all wonderful teas and were perfect for the chosen theme.  The smoky tones of the Lapsang Souchong evokes thoughts of a warm, cozy fire roaring in the fireplace.  The spices in the chai warmed me from the inside out, helping me to stave off winter’s cold.  And this delicious Moroccan Mint from Earthbound Tea is cool and sweet, reflective of the crisp chill in the air.

I can’t wait to discover what next month’s Steepster Select has in store!

Leaf Type:  Green

Produced By PT Harendong Green Farm

For More Information, visit the Tea Farms webpage

About ITFA Global Tea Taster’s Club:

By subscribing to the Global Tea Tasters Club, you will receive tea from ITFA tea farms 6 times per year. Each time, we will select a different region to feature and as we grow in tea farm members, so will your tea experience.

Your tea will also be accompanied by info about the tea and the tea farms themselves.

To know where your tea is coming from, who has grown and produced it, to taste the difference in teas from around the world…what could be better?

Taster’s Review:

At first glance, I wouldn’t guess that this tea was a green tea.  The dry leaves look very much like a green Oolong, possibly a Tie Guan Yin.  The leaves are rolled into tight pellets, just like a green Oolong would be.

However, upon closer examination, I began to recognize significant differences between this and an Oolong.  The aroma is more like a green tea, with a fresh, distinctive grassy tone.

The tea infuses to a lovely pale green color, and the flavor is rich and the texture is broth-like.  I wouldn’t call the flavor “grassy” exactly, at least, not in a bitter/grassy context.  Instead, this has a sweet flavor with a savory vegetative note, like the flavor of a mild steamed vegetable.  There are delicious nutty notes in the background.

This is very smooth and a pleasure to sip.  As I continue to sip, I notice that the savory tones of this tea develop, enhancing the vegetative notes but not overwhelming the sweet flavors.  A remarkable green tea from Indonesia, I am so glad I had this opportunity to taste it.

Tea Information:

Leaf Type:  Green

Where to Buy:  Empire Tea Services

Tea Description:

One of the very few green teas from Sri Lanka. This tea is harvested from China Jat leaves in the high elevation region of Nuwara Eliya. The dried leaves are large and well twisted and capable of multiple infusions. Liquor is flavorful because of the elevation.

Learn more about this tea here.

Taster’s Review:

I really like Mao Feng teas, and this Mao Feng from the Oliphant Estate is spectacular.

There is virtually no vegetative taste to this whatsoever (there is just a slight hint of vegetative taste … ever so slight!) and that means none of that grassy undertone that is often part of the flavor profile of a green tea.  Instead, this has that sweet, smooth taste that is easily recognizable as a green tea without the grassiness.

Instead, this tastes of sweet cream, fresh mountain air, fruit and flower.  These individual notes create a very seamless flavor that entices the taste buds and keep me sipping.

This is the kind of green tea I’d recommend to someone who is new to green tea and has found the vegetative/grassy tones of other green teas to be somewhat off-putting.  This one is sure to win them over!

Tea Information:

Leaf Type:  Green

Where to Buy:  TeaSpree

Tea Description:

A beautiful gift to body and soul.  Drink up!

Ingredients:  Organic Green Tea

Taster’s Review:

This is a very pleasant green tea, perfect for those occasions when you don’t want anything too complicated:  you just want a simple yet tasty green tea.

The flavor is light, nutty and a little grassy.  It is sweet with hints of a floral tone in the background, and a raw nut flavor (reminding me a bit of raw almonds) is in the foreground.

It has a very “spring-like” quality to it, like the fresh, new leaves that appear on the trees as spring arrives, and the clean, crisp air that is lightly kissed with the sweetness of spring’s flowers.  The aftertaste is sweet, with a hint of nutty flavor that lingers.

While I can’t say that this was my favorite from TeaSpree (my favorite was, surprisingly, the Vanilla Rooibos), I certainly did enjoy this organic offering from TeaSpree.  I found it to be a very peaceful, relaxing cuppa, and I would be very happy to drink this one again!

Tea Information:

Leaf Type:  Green

Where to Buy:  Praise Tea

Tea Description:

Organic and Fair Trade China Green tea infused with the taste of ripe pears. A smooth, full-bodied yet highly aromatic and healthy blend that’s delicious.

Origin: China

Ingredients: Chun Mee Green Tea, Pear

Learn more about this tea here.

Taster’s Review:

I tend to find myself a bit skeptical when it comes to pear flavored teas, especially pear flavored green teas.  That’s because back in my tea flavoring/blending days, I created what I felt was the very best pear flavored green tea, and I still have yet to find one that is as good.

But that doesn’t mean that I’m not enjoying this pear flavored green tea.  Quite the opposite, actually.  It’s really tasty!

The Chun Mee base is an interesting choice but it works surprisingly well with the delicate flavor of the pear.  I say surprising because its been my experience that Chun Mee (also known as “Precious Eyebrow”) tends to have a strong “green tea” flavor – that is to say it tends to be a bit on the grassy side.  With this stronger flavor, could the delicate sweetness of the pear shine through?

The answer is yes.  I can taste the sweet, delicious flavor of pear, as well as the full-flavored Chun Mee.  The Chun Mee is sweet, grassy with hints of seaweed.  There are lovely hints of plum in there too, and these are very complementary to the notes of pear.  The Chun Mee is more assertive than the pear flavor here, but, it doesn’t overwhelm it entirely.

A delicious pear flavored green with a very enticing composition of flavors.

Product Description:

Ready to Drink Tisane from Argo Tea.

Ingredients:  fresh brewed green tea (water, green tea), pure cane sugar, ginger root, lemon juice concentrate, natural vanilla flavor. 

Learn more about this product here.

Taster’s Review:

After not being completely disappointed with my sampling of Mojitea, I decided to give another Ready-to-Drink tea beverage from Argo Tea a try.  This time, though, I made sure that there was actual Camellia Sinensis in the blend!

And I have to say that I like this quite a bit better than the aforementioned Mojitea.  There is a lot of ginger in this one though, so if you’re not keen on ginger, this is not the tea for you.

I can also taste the lemon in this, it isn’t an abundant flavor, but, it adds a nice touch of acidic taste to offset the peppery taste of the ginger.  The green tea seems a little lost in the blend, but, I can taste it back there … somewhere!   It would be nice to have a little more green tea flavor, but on the plus side, I like that this isn’t overwhelmingly sweet.  In fact, I find that the sweetness is balanced nicely with the spicy note from the ginger and the bit of lemon flavor.

There is also just a hint of vanilla to this, and I notice that particularly in the aftertaste which is a little sweet and creamy tasting.

Quite nice for a RTD.  I would definitely be happy to drink this one again.

Tea Information:

Leaf Type:  Black

Where to Buy:  Dr. Tea’s Tea Garden

About This Tea:

The story goes that Lapsang Souchong was first created when the Wuyi region’s annual tea drying process was interrupted by army movement. To compensate for the missed drying period, tea farmers hung their tea over pinewood fires, consequently imparting a distinctive smoky flavor and aroma. Our Lapsang Souchong is sourced by Mark Ukra, co-owner of Dr. Tea’s Tea Garden, who comes from a family of Middle Eastern tea merchants dating back 400 years. Drink Lapsang Souchong plain or try it as a spice or rub for cooking.

Learn more about this tea here.

Taster’s Review:

January’s Steepster Select box brought teas that to help warm us up from Winter’s Chill.  The first tea that I tried from the box was this Lapsang Souchong, which is a little unusual for me since it’s one of my least favorite teas (well, not this Lapsang Souchong, but Lapsang Souchong in general is one of my least favorite teas).

But this is no ordinary Lapsang Souchong.  This is easily the best that I’ve ever tried.  Now, I can’t say that I’ve tried a lot of Lapsang Souchong teas, as it is one of those teas that I tend to avoid, but I have tried a few, and I’ve even managed to – slowly – get my palate more accustomed to the unique flavor experience of Lapsang Souchong.  While I am slowly gaining an appreciation for this strong, smoky tea, it is still sometimes difficult for me to get past it.

This Lapsang Souchong from Dr. Tea’s Tea Garden has been a real eye-opening experience for me.  I am not just “appreciating” this tea … I’m LOVING it!

The first couple of sips are quite smoky.  But once I get past those first sips, I find wonderful flavors await me.  I can actually taste the pine here, and that is something that I didn’t really experience in previous Lapsang Souchong tastings.  I may have tasted mere hints of pine in the distance, but, mostly what I tasted was smoke and the caramel undertone.  Here, the pine is quite distinct and it is lovely.

The caramel undertones are there as well, giving a very pleasant sweetness to the smoky overtones.  But what I find especially enjoyable is the way that the caramel undertones meld with the pine notes.  The flavors here are deep and intriguing.

A very unique Lapsang Souchong, and I have Steepster Select for bringing it to me!