Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: The Tao of Tea
Tea Description:
Also known as “powdered green tea” and traditionally used in Chanoyu – the Japanese Tea Ceremony, Matcha has a special spiritual significance in Japan. It is said that a person operating within the rules of Chanoyu finds the five senses working at their fullest. Matcha is essential to Japan’s traditional art of the tea ceremony, bringing about with each cup mental concentration, emotional stability, and composure of the mind. Unlike black tea and green tea whose ingredients are infused in water and discarded, Matcha has ingredients that can be utilized fully to activate the organic functions of the human body. It is a beverage good for both the mind and the body. Matcha contains essential vitamins and minerals and has shown long term health benefits due to its many disease fighting nutrients. Matcha has 9 times the beta carotene of spinach, 4 times that of carrots, and approximately 10 times the polyphenols and antioxidants of regular teas.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Over the past few years, I’ve consumed quite a bit of Matcha. Some is better than others, of course. This Liquid Jade from The Tao of Tea is a good one – not the best, but certainly better than some others that I’ve tried.
What I like best about this Matcha is the flavor of it: sweet, with very little of the bittersweet flavor that I usually detect with Matcha. This one is sweeter. Very pleasant and not quite as vegetative, although there is some seaweed-ish taste to it that is especially noticeable right at the finish, just before the aftertaste. And that part is weird for me because typically, I am not fond of seaweed. But … this I like! Perhaps it is because the seaweed flavor is a bit sweeter than it is savory.
It coats the palate with the silky mouthfeel, and I like that it doesn’t feel chalky, nor does it taste chalky. Instead, it tastes and feels buttery smooth. It’s really quite delicious.
The Matcha stays suspended in the liquid and doesn’t settle to the bottom, and that’s a big plus in my book. On the downside, there is not as much froth as I would have liked and the color is not quite as bright as I would have liked. I would say that this is a really good, mild-tasting Matcha, and it would be good for those who are new to Matcha as well as for those who typically find Matcha to be a bit too much for them. I find the silky smooth texture and taste of this Matcha to be much more palatable than some of the stronger Matcha teas that I’ve tasted. Overall, it is a very enjoyable Matcha. OH… and another big plus: it’s organic!
Organic Jade Oolong from Two Leaves and a Bud
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Two Leaves and a Bud
Product Description:
Our Organic Jade Oolong starts off with leaves that are nicely rolled packages that then unfurl completely when steeped. Organic Jade Oolong brews to a glassy green color, with a lightly floral fragrance and delicate, sweet nuances in its flavor.
Taster’s Review:
This is a beautifully complex Oolong. I think that is what I adore most about Oolong teas is that they have this wonderful complexity to them that I don’t find in many other teas types. So many layers of flavor!
The aroma of the dry leaf is quite vegetative with hints of a floral background note. As the tea brews, the fragrance softens, and interestingly enough, the vegetative essence does not translate very much into the flavor. There are some slightly vegetable-tasting notes in there, but, what I get mostly are sweet notes of fruit and flower.
The sip starts off sweet and crisp. It is a delicate taste that develops. Floral notes weave their way in and out of the sip. About mid-sip, a somewhat sour fruit note arrives – not an overwhelming taste, but it seems to be just enough to help lighten the sweetness a bit. The sip ends with a soft sweet flavor and a light, tangy astringency. The astringency is very slight and does not interfere with the sweet aftertaste which is incredibly pleasant.
I love this Oolong – I highly recommend it! This one is great iced too!
Jade Oolong from Drink T
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Drink T
Company Description:
Jade Oolong is grown in the mountainous areas of Taiwan. It is produced from large, single leaves and lightly oxidized. Then It is gently rolled and rubbed with cotton to slightly bruise the leaves. When fired, this process helps the tea develop its unique, complex character. Each successive infusion results in a different taste experience.
Our Jade Oolong has a fresh smooth body and lingering floral sweetness. A true delight to be savored and a staff favorite.
Taster’s Review:
This tea is a delightful example of just why I so adore Oolong teas! The flavor is so beautifully complex and the tightly wound “pearls” of tea are slow to unfurl – which means they have many delicious infusions to offer.
I brewed this tea in my gaiwan – and I’m finally believing that the gaiwan is the ONLY way that an Oolong should be steeped! The short, frequent steeps really makes a difference in the flavor. If you don’t have a gaiwan, do yourself a favor and get one!
This tea is an interesting one. It’s a paradox! It is light yet intensely flavored. It has a delicious floral taste that is sweet with a delicate sharpness. It has a very pleasant mouthfeel that is smooth and silky. It is not a lingering mouthfeel, but it is quite seductive while it lasts.
I have tried many teas from Drink T – and I have been very impressed with each and every one of them. This Jade Oolong is no exception – I highly recommend it.