We’re past the halfway point in this countdown, and you know what that means, don’t you? The big day is just around the corner, almost here … are you finished with your holiday shopping? We’re not, but we are nearly done, and that’s more than I can say for our usual progress this time of year.
Today’s tea was sent in a beautiful blue, sparkly envelope/box. These little boxes are really cute, and of course, I’m keeping them … hopefully I’ll think of something to do with them that is alter-ish art-y.
Anyway, I’m sure you’re all just sitting there at the edges of your seats, waiting to learn what today’s tea from Della Terra Teas is …
Walnut Brittle
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Della Terra Teas
Tea Description:
On the seventh day of Christmas you’ll be swimming like the swans in delicious tantalizing walnut brittle tea.
A most amazing green tea is the base for this perfect walnut tea. With bits of real walnut brittle within we truly believe you have a cup of nutcrackers Heaven in your tea cup!
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This IS a tantalizing treat!
The dry leaf offers a very appetizing sight with the big chunks of walnut, coconut and pineapple blended with the long spears of Chinese Sencha green tea. The aroma is nutty and fruity, and interestingly enough, reminds me very much of the holidays, although I don’t usually associate walnuts, coconut or pineapple with this time of year. Somehow, the way it all comes together reminds me very much of Christmastime – perhaps it is the sweetness of the scent … I don’t know. But it is certainly bringing a smile to my face.
The flavor also brings a smile to my face. The flavor of the green tea is prominent, it is sweet and slightly vegetative, although most of the sweetness I taste is coming from the coconut, I think, or it could be the fact that there is also brittle candy in this blend, and that may have melted during the brewing process. I do taste a bit of caramelized sugar in the cup, and that just may be my favorite part of this tea.
But I also like the walnut flavor. Walnut is not a “usual” nut flavor to find in a tea … almonds – yes … but not walnuts. But I think it is the fact that I don’t often get to experience walnut flavor in a tea that makes me enjoy this rare occasion so much.
Overall, a very enjoyable cuppa. It is nutty and sweet, with just the right amount of fruity essence to keep the cup interesting. A bit unexpected and very nice, indeed!
Sencha from Hon.yama, Ôkawa from Thés du Japon
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Thés du Japon
Tea Description:
A futsumushi sencha from Hon.yama, in the mountains north of Shizuoka, grown under difficult conditions at an altitude of 740 meters (2400 feet). Yet, the difficult conditions are also the secret to a very high-quality natural tea: abundant rain, the slope of the garden, morning mists, significant temperature differences. In order to bring out the qualities of these leaves, the producer, Nakamura Toshiaki, is careful to steam them as little as possible and to keep their shape. The tea obtained in this way rewards us with a beautiful clear golden liquor that releases a deep fragrance of sugar and peat. The liquor is very airy while at the same time very sweet, rich and somehow voluptuous, and it is especially long in the mouth. This special sweetness is carried through several infusions, and there is almost no astringency.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
A really lovely Japanese Sencha! It’s been a while since I’ve had my last Japanese Sencha, in fact, as I sit here, contemplating this tea, I try to recall the last time I’ve had a Japanese Sencha, and I can’t do it. I’ve had a lot of Matcha lately, and even flavored Sencha, but, not so many pure Japanese Sencha. It’s very refreshing to have this cup now.
The aroma of the dry leaf initially reminded me of kelp, but after the package had breathed for a moment or two, it smelled more like freshly cut grass. Very clean and spring-like! A very nice fragrance to experience during these cold, wet, autumn-y days! Once brewed, the tea smells more like vegetables than of grass, somewhere between steamed spinach and steamed broccoli.
The flavor is sweet, crisp and has a fresh, invigorating quality to the flavor. The flavor is very clean and smooth from beginning to finish, with very little astringency toward the finish – just a hint of a tangy note – and a gently sweet aftertaste that is reminiscent of dew drops.
Overall, I find this to be a remarkable Japanese Sencha – sweeter and milder than most I’ve tried. Very pleasant to sip!
Sencha Superior Uji from Zen Tea Life
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green, Sencha
Where to Buy: Zen Tea Life
Tea Description:
Sencha is the most commonly enjoyed variety of Japanese green tea. Sencha contains more of the beneficial nutrient Catechin than other green teas, because it is grown in full sunlight, thus it becomes yellow-green in color. Sencha tastes gently astringent and smells wonderfully fresh. Sencha is harvested three or four times a year. But with each harvest, the tea becomes slightly lower in quality. This is why the first flush, or Ichiban Cha, is the best. All of our Sencha products are made exclusively from Ichiban Cha. You will certainly be delighted with the fine and generously harmonized flavor of our Sencha.
Ingredients: Sencha, Matcha, Brown Rice, Puffed Corn.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
The cup steeps into a clear, nearly neon green color. Its bright and cheery, and just what the doctor ordered on a foggy dreary day!
The flavor of this tea is deliciously green, vegetal, sweet, nutty, and fresh.
As described there is a light astringency to the cup but it does not become bitter if brewed correctly.
The directions say to use 1 to 2 teaspoons so I split the difference going 1.5 teaspoons however I am feeling I could have saved some leaf and went with just one. It is a strong tasting tea, not too strong, just strong enough that you don’t need as much leaf as you could use unless you want your sencha to really punch you in the face.
There is a wonderful fresh cut grass after taste that I adore! It lingers just like beautiful clean crisp blades of summer grass from a full lush lawn.
There is a nuttiness to the tea as well which is another of my favorite flavor notes. The matcha in the tea is noticeable in flavor but does not leave matcha “dust” in the bottom of your cup. This brings me to the following: One thing that does confuse me is that on the ingredients listing it says there is puffed rice, matcha, sencha of course, and brown rice, yet in the leaf itself I see none of this so it must be somehow mixed in here perfectly so it is not detected in the dry leaf. To the naked eye it looks simply like a beautiful deep green sencha. Or the labeling on my sample may be incorrect. Regardless, I can taste the flavor notes listed on the ingredients, I just can’t see them. What the label infers to me is a genmaicha.
What one can’t be confused about however is that this particular tea, is delicious.
Green Earl Grey Tea from Revolution Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Revolution Tea
Tea Description:
Made from Organic Chinese Sencha, this blend will forever change the way you perceive green tea. An exciting, original flavor, featuring notes of Italian Bergamot, Green Earl Grey is a hearty, refreshing pick-me-up with all the health benefits of green tea.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
My first couple of sips of this tea, I was a little unsure. I was afraid that maybe I hadn’t steeped it long enough. It tasted very weak. But, after a few moments (I’d say around three minutes) of allowing the cup to cool, the flavors really began to emerge.
Generally speaking, I tend to be somewhat skeptical when it comes to non-black Earl Grey teas. There’s something about the unique flavor of bergamot that just goes so well with the flavor of black tea and it doesn’t seem to pair as well with green teas. But, I’m liking this. It has a pleasing citrus note that accents the sweet, fresh taste of the green tea.
There is a well-defined floral note as well, perhaps even more distinguished here with this Green Earl Grey than with a typical black Earl Grey. I don’t know if this is due to the fact that the green tea has a slight floral note of its own, or if the natural flowery notes of the bergamot are able to express themselves more freely with the lighter flavor of the green tea … or perhaps a combination of the two. Either way, it’s quite lovely, sweet and exotic, without tasting soapy.
This is definitely a different approach to Earl Grey. It is lighter and crisper, but with that familiar bergamot zing! I like it, although I can’t say that I prefer it over the classic Earl Grey. However, for times when I want something bright and zesty, this would certainly fill the bill.
Grape Sencha from Den’s Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green, Sencha
Where to Buy: Den’s Tea
Tea Description:
Grape Sencha has a grape flavor plus a hint of dried cranberry and raspberry. These combine into the sweet-tart flavors of our Grape Sencha. Great for iced tea.
Origin: Shizuoka
Harvest: Between First and Second Harvests
Species: Yabukita
Fun fruity and sweet grape flavor. Best selling among our fruit flavored teas.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
What a delight! Don’t let the kool aid aroma scare you! This tea is beautifully flavored with natural grapes which you can see right in your steeping basket! Such a beautiful tea to look at and I was tempted to steal one big grape and stick it right into my mouth, but I resisted.
Den’s has never disappointed me when it comes to Japanese green teas. I began my journey with them by getting their $3.00 sampler package and I have not stopped my journey since!
This tea is excellent both hot and iced.
The grape flavor is by no means cloying in its sweetness, it is rather quite natural and juicy. It also is not like a grape juice even though it may smell as such. The grape flavor is an undertone that gently supports the excellent sencha base.
Perhaps the cranberry and raspberry ease the sweetness in their supporting roles, yet as supporters they do not take center stage or attempt to shine too brightly. There is a slight tartness to the cup but only slight.
Not to be outdone by the beautiful dry leaves the steeped color of this cup turns out to be a gorgeous sun shiny yellow/golden hue.
From the boquet-esque look of the dry leaf, to the sunny cup it provides, to the flavor of this tea, everything about it is cheery and joyful.
Happiness in a cup.