I’ve recently begun seriously exploring the world of green teas. They have the best alleged health benefits; they’re springy; they’re tasty. They’re also decidedly not soda, which I have been trying with little success to quit for years.
Greens are not like black teas. One can’t just use the hot water dispenser at work and forget about them and hope they turn out okay twenty minutes later. Green teas require a lower temperature and shorter steep time in order not to singe and taste icky.
I’ve learned the hard way to put an ice cube in the gravity steeper before putting in the water, in order to get an appropriate temperature. I also try to keep an eye on the time in order to only steep for about two minutes instead of, eh, whatever.
Today’s pick: a sencha! Sencha is the most popular tea in Japan. It has very green leaves that are typically plucked while young and full of nutrients. Japanese Sencha tends to be more grassy/vegetal than greens from China.
This particular blend is mixed with yuzu and safflowers. Yuzu is a Japanese citrus fruit. (Tea has me experiencing all sorts of new fruits/flowers/berries I’d never even heard of before.)
The flavor of this blend is very tangy and grassy. The profound green-ness of the tea is balanced out with the sassy citrus of the yuzu, which is a distinctive sort of citrus. It’s zesty, like a lemon or a Mandarin orange.
I’m not sure I’d recommend this particular blend for a green tea newbie, because it has to be handled very carefully and has a REALLY distinctive flavor that one might not like. However, if you’re looking to expand your palate, this is a distinctive pick you might just love. Give it a whirl!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Prestogeorge
Description
Sencha green tea with safflowers and natural yuzu berry flavor. Yuzu berry is a Japanese citrus fruit similar to mandarin orange. Remarkable flavor.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Japanese Sun Rouge from Upton Tea Imports. . . .
Ever once in a while, I will come across a tea that will awaken my test buds and remind me of exactly why I love tea so very much. This blend will wrap me in a warm cozy hug and delight my tastebuds all while soothing my ever stressed out soul.
Today, this particular green tea did just that.
Brewed up with a tea spoon of leaves, 6 oz of water prepped at 170F and allowed to brew for 3 minutes, this tea gives you such a simple yet complex variety of flavors in each and every sip. Each and every sip you are greeted with a lovely sweet note that doesn’t overpower but brings a smile to your face with a subtle melon/floral note coming not far behind. Then the sip takes you on a different direction with a more vegetal feel. Every once in a while, I do pick up this adorable nutty flavor that I really adore. With this tea you are greeted with both the sweetness and vegetal feel that only a green tea can provide.
I have brewed up the sames leaves three times and still am greeted with this gorgeous sweet yet vetegal melon floral beautiful brew that is making my heart sing. Exactly what I needed to start my day off right. This tea is for sure is a recommended delight. I don’t believe I have ever had an Upton Tea Import tea before but I am so happy to finally have enjoyed their offerings. I have already placed an order and am looking forward to placing several more. I may actually need to pick up another oz or so of this tea since I don’t know if I’ll be able to share this particular delight with the rest of the Sisters. I may be a little stingy with this one!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Upton Tea Imports
Description
This selection has an interesting pedigree, being a mix of two special varietals. The result is a cup somewhat akin to a Kenyan purple tea, with its lavender-brown colored liquor. The aroma has a toasty/nutty sweetness. The cup is delicate and smooth with sweet herbaceous notes and hints of flowers and melon.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Nakamura-en Tea Shop Kyoto Karigane Hojicha from Nakamura-En Tea Shop (available at Yunomi)
Nakamura-en Tea Shop Kyoto Karigane Hojicha is a premium green tea that is made of roasted stems filtered from kabusecha which is a shaded green tea.
The tea shop itself is a quaint, 100+ year old shop near Ryogoku station on the JR Sobu line. The owner is Mr. Nakamura who speaks a bit of English, and selects some amazing teas from around Japan….including this one. The promoter of this wonderful tea is Yunomi Life and it’s available for purchase on their website.
The harvest is spring and the region is Kyoto Pref, Japan which contributes to the overall experience of this tea. The aroma is intense – right out of the bag! The flavor on the tongue is smoky and roasted up front with a sweet end sip.
The layers of flavor have you craving more. This is certainly a tea that you will take your time with. One to contemplate and appreciate. One that you will remember long after the cup is finished. A mighty fine roasted and toasted green!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Yunomi
Description
Roasted leaf stems filtered from the production of gyokuro (the most premium form of leaf green tea with lowest level of catechin) in Kyoto, Japan.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Lemon-Lime Meringue Kukicha Green Tea from 52Teas. . .
I was having a pleasant morning, sipping on this Lemon-Lime Meringue Kukicha Green Tea and eating my breakfast. Things were going well until my two dogs decided to fight over a cookie under my chair. When we pulled them apart, one had a bloody nose and we didn’t realize right away so blood got everywhere, especially when she started sneezing causing splatters on the walls, floor, and even my sister and her husband. She was totally fine but it looked like a tiny murder happened in our house so this tea got put aside for a bit while we attended to the literal dog fight and cleaning up the aftermath.
Getting back to the tea it was still a touch warm and luckily the flavors didn’t seem to change that much from the hotter cup I was drinking prior to the chaos, as some teas tend to do when they cool. I think this is my first Kukicha green tea and it looked like it may have been particularly herbal tasting (between the kukicha and lemongrass) but that wasn’t the case thankfully. This has a real sweet and fluffy quality to it that when combined with the vanilla bean definitely helps sell the meringue. Complimentary to that is the creamy citrus notes of the lemon-lime which makes for a nice dessert tea.
This is a great little bright tea. The flavors are sweet and yet bright and refreshing. It could be a good afternoon treat or like I said before, a nice choice for dessert after dinner. Another hit for 52 Teas!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: 52Teas
Description
This tea is not available right now but click below for teas that are.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
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The Dragon! from 52Teas. . . . .
I have talked about Steepster before and I will probably mention it again as it is a large part of my tea-loving life. Recently it gave me the opportunity to not only enter but WIN a draw by 52 Teas for their monthly teabox. I lucked out even more by winning the box of their anniversary month so while they normally have 4 teas of the week in the box, my box had 5 teas to try.
This tea and another tea, The Unicorn!, were both the blends made for the first week of the month and they are both inspired by the Starbucks Frappuccinos of the same names. Unfortunately I didn’t get a chance to try The Dragon frappuccino but I can appreciate the idea and I am excited to give the 52 Teas interpretation a try
The Dragon! brings together limes, strawberries, blueberries, and marshmallow root, all on a green tea base.
I brewed this up hot per the recommended steeping parameters.The liquid is the color of a clear and light lemonade (this is how my sister described it when I asked). The taste is also light, though not without flavor. Lots of natural tasting, juicy berry flavor, effectively mimicking the berry ribbon in the namesake frappuccino. The lime contributes a bit of flavor but mostly adds a refreshing brightness to the tea. Finally, the marshmallow root keeps everything sweet and fluffy. Is this in-your-face like a frappuccino? No, this is lighter and easier to drink but still satisfies the sweet tooth and to me, that makes this a winner.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: 52Teas
Description
This tea is no longer available. Click below for teas that are.