Have you ever been drinking your cuppa and wondered to yourself, where does this tea come from? What country? What city? What are the practices of the company like? Are they sustainable? Do they have eco-friendly practices?
Many companies don’t answer these questions. Luckily Rakkasan does. This slightly astringent and grassy green tea comes from an estate that practices great eco-friendly operations and is fair trade certified. The taste is amazing like the estate. At first you may find it soft and too watery but as you drink it more the taste really develops on your palette. Fresh cut grass and slight volcanic notes. T
he smell is slightly roasty with a hint of dead leaves (that wonderful fall scent). If you are looking for a good tea and a great company to support check out this one!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Rakkasan Tea
Description:
Our Rukeri Green is a Rwandan steamed green tea, lovely to smell with a taste mildly astringent, but smooth. Grown at an elevation between 5,500 and 6,500 feet, the leaf is hand-picked and harvested only in the mornings. This green tea is rolled in traditional tea rollers using specially selected and seasoned timber tables and battens.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Candy Cane Crush / Tease Tea
A perfect middle of the afternoon tea. Enough caffeine to keep you from a siesta on your keyboard at work with a good punch of peppermint to awaken your senses and yet keep you calm.
One does need to point out those that this is more of a peppermint green tea then it is a candy cane green tea. You really need sugar in a tea to call it such. Don’t get me wrong I prefer my teas without sugar so I am fine with this blend, it just doesn’t remind me of a candy cane.
The green leaf looks pretty but unfortunately I can’t taste any of it! The peppermint is so overpowering in taste and in the aroma. Smells like my dentist office.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Tease Tea
Description:
The perfect green tea & minty holiday brew to enjoy in your cozies or with a cozy crush! A layer of safflowers offers an extra festive flair.
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!
Tea of Inquiry from Allegheny Coffee & Tea Exchange. . . .
Fun facts about genmaicha tea:
– It’s tea cut with rice, including popped rice (“popcorn tea”).
– It’s consumed all over the world.
– It used to be associated with the lower class, because they couldn’t afford straight tea.
– It might be an appetite suppressant. People with less money would drink it when they couldn’t afford food.
– It’s DELICIOUS.
If you’re like “I want to get on board with green tea, but I can’t even begin to deal with all that GREEN flavor,” give this a try. It’s a workaround. It tastes like toast/popcorn/rice. It has a robust, grainy/nutty kind of flavor. The “green”ness is cut down significantly.
Plus, I mean, you’re getting down with the proletariat. You’re supporting the REGULAR FOLK on PRINCIPLE.
I don’t have a lot of experience drinking this new favorite type of tea. If you’re a connoisseur, I can’t tell you whether Allegheny Coffee & Tea Exchange’s “Tea of Inquiry” is a stellar example of the genre. But I think it’s delicious. I recommend trying it or another gemaicha today! It might be for you.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Allegheny Coffee & Tea Exchange
Description
A special Japanese blend of fine green tea and toasted rice.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Honeyed Apricots and Almonds Chun Mee from A Quarter To Tea. . ..
Honeyed Apricots and Almonds Chun Mee, this green tea came as a sample in the March teabox. It is part of A Quarter to Tea’s Spring Teas and I don’t know why it has taken me this long to try it out.
The dry leaf is quite lovely with the sliced almonds and variety of flowers. The honeysuckle actually seems to bloom when the hot water hits it. Once steeped, the leaf leaves behind an apricot-scented brew.
That apricot scent carries over to the taste. Sweet and clearly reflective of the stone-fruit. However, this tea is so much more than that. As promised by the name, there is a distinct honey flavor drizzled throughout whereas the almond sits on the tip of your tongue. I personally am not picking up any of the jasmine though I prefer it that way.
This tea is an accurately named delight. It’s bright and fresh, sweet and juicy. A daytime snack or nighttime dessert all in one.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: A Quarter To Tea
Description
This blend is fruity and sweet with almond, honey, apricot and a touch of jasmine.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
