Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green (Matcha)
Where to Buy: Shi Zen
Tea Description:
Ceremonial Grade “Matcha” Blended with Cherry Blossom Leaf
Our green tea is grown on family farms located in small villages in the foothills of Mount Fuji. This remote Okabe region of Shizuoka Prefecture enjoys the perfect combination of clean air, pure water, and fertile soil only found in this area of Japan. This premium Matcha is the 1st harvest Matcha, which is considered one of the finest grade Matcha in Japan.
These cherry trees grow on the Izu region of Shizuoka Prefecture, and their cherry blossoms leaves are hand-picked in the spring and ground with a traditional Japanese stone mill.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Wow … ok, so this Sakura Komachi Green Tea from Shi Zen is different! But, different is good!
The Matcha here is very beautifully, BRIGHT green – the way a high quality Ceremonial Grade Matcha should be. The Matcha been blended with stone ground cherry blossom leaves to impart a pleasant cherry blossom flavor.
The Matcha froths up really beautifully, and produces a liquid that resembles some of the finest Matcha teas that I’ve had the opportunity to taste. The color is bright jade green … and the powder remains incorporated as I drink … I didn’t experience the sediment at the bottom of my chawan!
Having never actually tasted the powder from a cherry blossom leaf before tasting this powdered green tea blend, I have no experience with which to compare what I’m tasting now. However, I have had quite a few experiences with very high quality Matcha – and so I’m going to pick out what I’m tasting now that is different from other Matcha I’ve tried and work under the presumption that these “new” tastes are from the cherry blossom leaf.
The overall flavor is vegetative. It has a very “spring-time” like flavor to it – evoking thoughts of trees covered in pretty pink blossoms and the air filled with their scent. It has a creamy texture and taste, slightly buttery and very smooth on the palate. The Matcha flavor stands out over the flavor of the cherry blossom leaf, which is not what I’d call “delicate” but, it is softer than the flavor of the Matcha. There is a slight sharpness from the cherry blossom leaf – it’s slightly “floral” tasting, and I find that this floral note rests upon the palate in the aftertaste.
It’s quite an enjoyable experience, this Sakura Komachi, and I’m really glad I had this opportunity to try it. It’s a bit like drinking the splendor of spring-time!
Fleur de Geisha from Le Palais Des Thés
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Le Palais Des Thés
Tea Description:
Inspired by the Japanese Hanami tradition of cherry blossom viewing, Fleur de Geisha is a refined Japanese green tea, delicately flavored with cherry blossom.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Without having read the description of this tea and knowing only that it was a green tea, I brewed it and served it hot. The aroma of the dry leaf was very cherry-like with beautiful floral background notes, making me think that this was a cherry blossom tea. A spring-time favorite, I couldn’t have “blindly” chosen a better tea to enjoy this afternoon. (By “blindly” I mean this: as Le Palais Des Thés is a company based in France and the labels on this gift set are all in French, I didn’t know which tea I was choosing, only that “vert” meant that it would be a green tea)
The brewed tea maintains much of its cherry-like fragrance. The flavor is delicate, especially when served hot. As the tea cools, the flavor intensifies. Served hot, the tea has a very soft balance between cherry blossom notes and hints of sweet cherry flavor mingling with a fresh, sweet vegetative tone. It is very sweet and evokes thoughts of the beautiful cherry blossom trees.
Once the tea has cooled, the cherry flavor becomes much stronger, while some of the floral tones diminish somewhat. The flavor of the green tea remains very sweet and lush, balancing out the sweet cherry flavor with a hint of vegetation.
While I personally prefer this tea hot, I can see how this would be a big hit as an iced tea … especially for those who enjoy cherry fruit notes over those of the cherry blossom. I do like cherry, but I think I like better being able to taste those delicate cherry blossom notes that seem to subside as the tea cools.
A beautiful spring-time treat!
Cérisier de Chine from Dammann Frères
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Dammann Frères
Company Description:
Sencha green tea blended with cherry flavour and ornamented with rose petals. A highly fruity cup.
Taster’s Review:
Based on the description, appearance and fragrance of this tea, my immediate thought is that this is my favorite “springtime” tea – aka cherry flavored Sencha tea. This is not my favorite cherry Sencha, but it is certainly very good. Very, very good!
The cherry flavor is very strong in this blend. It is sweet with just a hint of tartness that lingers on the tongue. The tartness is just barely there, and cuts the sweet flavor just enough so that this does not become an overly sweet or syrup-like.
The Sencha green tea seems to get a little lost in this cup – the cherry flavor is very strong and seems to overwhelm the flavor. I can taste the fresh, vegetative flavor of the Sencha tea, but it is quite light, especially in the first few sips. Once I arrived at mid-cup, the flavors became more balanced.
This tea is very refreshing when served iced – and because of the strong fruit flavor, kids love it!