Fellow sisters of the 90s, two words: cucumber. melon. Now, if you’re anything like me, you were just insta-transported to your bathroom cabinet stocked with matching body lotions, shower gels, and body sprays all smelling identically of summery melon cucumber goodness. And gosh darn it if this tea isn’t a dead ringer for that super-nostalgic scent. Full green tea leaves are perfectly paired with big slices of dehydrated cucumber pieces of this dry leaf, brewing up to a light and fresh, golden-y green. If you like your teas a little more savory, as-is leaves a perfectly fresh and delightful drink that is reminiscent of spa water, with more of an emphasis on the cucumber than the melon. With just a splash of lemonade, the melon is beautifully highlighted– and friends, this is like Bath & Body Works in a cup. It’s fresh and fruity and cucumber-y, with perfectly light and sweet honeydew melon undertones.
Who would I recommend this tea for? Frankly, if at any point you’ve had: a Lisa Frank binder, kept all your nail polish in a caboodle, or have squealed your way through a Bath & Body Works 75% off sale at least once in your life, add this one to your cart for summertime sipping. You won’t be disappointed!
Want to Know More About This Tea?
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Culinary Teas
Description
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
China Snow Dragon Green/Simpson and Vail. . . .
Not too long ago…I knew what I wanted…I wanted a green tea. I wanted a green tea from China…I wanted something mystical like a Dragon and soft like snow…lucky me…I had a pouch of China Snow Dragon Green Tea from Simpson and Vail that I had waiting for me.
I have found my own personal ‘sweet spot’ for infusing green teas and that is just shy of 2 minutes. This one stood up to the test.
These leaves were a FUN mix of green leaf and white downy (snow) buds. The aroma is fresh yet vegetal. It brews to a pale green cup with a light, delicate floral taste, too!
I was happy to learn that this special green tea comes from gardens in Fuding county which is a Fujian province in China. This county is known for its steep mountains and vast seacoast and I have to say you can really taste the difference in the tea!
This was another winner from Simpson & Vail! Can’t wait to see and TASTE what is next!
Want to Know More About This Tea?
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Simpson and Vail
Description
This special green tea comes from gardens in Fuding county, Fujian province in China. This county is known for its steep mountains and vast seacoast.
These leaves are a mix of green leaf and white downy (snow) buds. The aroma is fresh and vegetal. It brews to a pale green cup with a light, delicate floral taste. Truly exquisite!
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Sleeping Dragon Tea/Adagio Teas
Gunpowder green tea was among the first green teas I’d tried as a kid. It’s a little nostalgic and is now my go-to drink when I’m having a rough day and just need a pick-me-up. It’s also probably responsible for my affinity for smoky-tasting teas and wines.
Sleeping Dragon picks up some of those notes from a good gunpowder tea, especially in the first cup. The first steep is rich, smoky, with subtle hints of fruit. Steep a second time and you get more of a fruity, lightly sweet green with a smoother, well-rounded flavor. (If you don’t like smoky tea, you can steep for 1.5 to 2 minutes and cut back on those flavors.)
This is a tea that’s fun to watch in a glass teapot—pellets slowly unfurl into long, beautiful green leaves that have a wonderful fragrance. If you’re not a fan of really grassy green teas, I highly recommend this one. It’s also a great intro to loose-leaf greens for friends who are new to green teas—it’s a very mild flavor that won’t send curious tea drinkers running the other way.
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Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Adagio Teas
Description
Sleeping Dragon green tea is grown at about 3,000 feet in the mountainous Fujian province. The tightly rolled leaves and silvery fuzzy buds give this tea its signature shape and name. In the cup, it delivers a soft, fruity sweetness enfolded by a rich smokey note similar to a gunpowder, but more complex and crisp in the finish. Sleeping Dragon remains a great cup for a green tea novice or those who oppose the grassy character of some varieties.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Candied Apple/Pinky Up. . . .
A recent tea swap introduced me to a new company, Pinky Up. Pinky Up has a great selection of unique sounding loose leaf teas such as Confetti Cake, Matcha Ice Cream, Green Gummy, Rosewater Basil, etc. In addition to their loose leaf variety, Pinky Up also has a bunch of different blooming teas to try including Honeydew Gelato, Pina Colada, Peaches and Cream, Creme Brulee and this tea, Candied Apple.
I find blooming teas are never amazing tastewise but they are always fun to watch bloom. They are the teas you want when you want a tea experience instead of just a quick cup to go. This Candied Apple blooming tea by Pinky Up is no exception. It’s really a fun tea to watch bloom.
One thing I will note is that a fair amount of the leaves were still bound up in the string after I steeped the tea for just under 4 minutes. I think my error was using water that was too cool. I used 175F water, my usual temperature for green teas, and I think it was not hot enough to force the leaves out of their binding which meant I don’t think this tea fully bloomed.
I was worried that the longer than usual steep might have made the tea bitter and once I realized the still bound leaves, I was worried the tea wouldn’t be that flavorful. I am happy to report both these concerns were not warranted as the tea is quite nice.
This tea has a bright red apple flavor. It is actually interesting because apple teas tend to have a generic sort of apple flavor but this is distinctively red apple. Actually more than just red apple, it has a pretty strong apple juice vibe to it. Sweeter than a typical apple but I don’t know if it is quite candied-level sweetness. I think that is where I am getting the idea of juice from since apple juice is always sweeter than the fruit itself. However, unlike juice, this still has the lightness of a green tea.
This tea actually tasted better than expected, even if it didn’t actually taste like a candied apple as the name would suggest. Despite my concerns about brewing mentioned above, my experience has been blooming teas have been more aesthetically oriented than taste focused. This is a nice combination of both looks and flavor and has me browsing the Pinky Up site looking for more!
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Leaf Type: Blooming Tea/Green
Where to Buy: Pinky Up
Description
This tea is no longer on the website but click below for blends that are.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Sencha/Buckhead Tea Company. . . .
I am not usually a big Sencha fan. Typically, I find that no matter what I do it comes out bitter and incredibly astringent. I was pleasantly surprised by this one! I was able to get 3 solid steeps out of this tea.
The first steep brought a sweet umami aroma and a grassy flavor that reminded me of a spring day just after a rain storm. There was a heaviness to it that left a creamy feeling on the tongue. There was absolutely no bitterness. The second steeping had the same heavy, creamy flavor but had a bitterness that wasn’t present in the first steeping. The third steeping brought the sweet umami flavor back. It was very smooth and made a great sipping tea.
I think it is time for me to re-think my feelings on Sencha. Perhaps my taste has changed, perhaps I’ve just gotten better at making it? This is a fabulous morning tea for those who aren’t looking for the strong flavor of a black tea but still like a little heavy creaminess in the morning. It would also be great as a mid-day pick-me-up!
As I reconsider my feelings towards Sencha, this is absolutely a tea that I could keep on hand to remind me that, made well, this is a wonderful green tea that is worth being enjoyed often.
Want to Know More About This Tea?
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Buckhead Tea Company
Description
Green tea lovers enjoy Sencha, a steamed green tea from Japan, for its low caffeine levels, robust flavor and refreshing nutty and fruity aftertaste.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
