Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Mellow Monk
Product Description:
Monk’s Choice™ is the grower’s most popular tea among his Japanese customers for its full herbaceous flavor complimented perfectly with brisk citrus overtones and a subtle berry-like sweetness. This is truly a tea you can sip all day.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This is one of the nicest Guricha teas that I’ve tasted in quite a while.
It has a delicious earthy/vegetative tone, complimented with a slight roasted nutty flavor in the background and hints of fruit throughout. The above description depicts notes of citrus and a berry sweetness, and I get those notes too. It is a very flavorful tea.
There is no bitterness to this tea and only a moderate amount of astringency toward the tail that ties in well with the citrus notes. The sweetness is remarkable, it doesn’t taste like sugar, or honey or caramel or any of those other descriptive flavors that I often use, it really does taste like a fruit-sweetness. Even in the aftertaste, I have just a hint of that berry tangy note on the tongue. That is indeed interesting!
If I had to choose only one word to describe this tea, though, I think I would choose the word mild, because even though it is not what I would consider delicate or light in any way, it has a soothing character to it – mild and relaxing – as it mildly and calmly recharges the batteries, so to speak.
It has a smooth tone to it, making it incredibly easy to sip – a perfect every day kind of tea that goes well with meals or just any time of day when you want a green tea pick-me-up. And it is very reasonably priced, making it incredibly easy on the pocketbook!
Pineapple Bamboo Green Tea from Praise Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Praise Tea
Product Description:
Our Pineapple Bamboo Green Tea is an exotically fruity, pineapple and mango infused green tea. A smooth and juicy blend that provides a way to escape in your day. Delectable both hot and cold. Try some with white crystal sugar. Indulge your taste buds.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This is a really good! I often approach tropical teas with a somewhat pallid attitude. Don’t get me wrong, I really like tropical flavored teas; but sometimes it seems like every tea company out there has a tropical tea, and they all end up tasting pretty much the same. So, I like it when I find one that is different from the rest. And this one definitely qualifies as DIFFERENT!
The pineapple flavor is prominent, but I don’t find it to be an overwhelming taste. I think that is due to the fact that this tea really does have a lot going on. There’s pineapple, mango, papaya, bamboo, cardamom, ginger, coconut, raspberry and rose in this, not to mention three different kinds of green tea: Chinese Sencha, Bancha and Genmaicha.
For me, what really makes this tea extra special is the touch of Genmaicha. It isn’t an overwhelmingly strong note – the Genmaicha – but it adds that little something to this. The sweet flavor of the roasted rice accents the flavor of the cardamom and ginger so well, giving this a warm, exotic kind of feel without it coming off as too hot or spicy. And if you’re one who does not care for spicy teas, you can rest assured that this is NOT a spicy tea, instead, I’d describe it as a very mild spice that serves as an accent rather than the main focus of the tea.
The coconut is a gentle flavor, adding just a hint of creaminess to the cup, while the mango and papaya add a nice sweetness to the background. The bamboo is also a gentle flavor, there is just enough there to make the taste buds sit up and say “hey, what was that?” Just enough to add some interest to the flavor without it becoming all about the bamboo.
In fact, that would probably be the theme for every ingredient of this tea. There is just enough of each ingredient to add an interesting note to the cup without it overpowering it or throwing off the balance of flavors.
I really like this offering from Praise Tea!
Chiran Sencha (White Label) – Kagoshima from Chado Tea House
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Chado Tea House
Product Description:
NEW Product! Chiran is located in Kagoshima pref. in Kyushu island. Chiran area is the biggest Japanese tea producing center of Kagoshima pref. Very Clean aroma and mouth feel. Deep steamed Sencha so rich but bitter less mild mouth feel and clean after taste. This tea can be changed by choosing different setting of temperature and the amount of leaves use.
This is one of our supplier’s signature products so nicely packaged Sencha tea. Recommend for gift item.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Very nice!
When I first opened this pouch of tea and took a whiff of it, my first reaction was “wow! Now THAT’S vegetative!” Yes, it has a very strong, grassy/vegetative fragrance. It reminds me a bit of how my kitchen smells when I’ve steamed broccoli for dinner. It is a very strong, yet deliciously savory kind of aroma.
The leaves look very much the way I’d expect them to, thin – almost slivers! – leaves that are a deep, bright green color. It is a very vivid, beautiful color. The liquor produced is almost what I’d call Chartreuse, with equal amounts of yellow and green, creating a pale, beautiful golden green-ish hue.
And it tastes really wonderful. Yes, that strong vegetative smell does translate into the flavor, but it is certainly not off-putting to me. However, if one is sensitive to that bold, grassy flavor you might want to go a little lighter on the leaves when measuring out this tea to brew.
Along with the vegetative flavor comes a light “brothy” kind of texture, giving this tea a very savory and satisfying quality. Even with the stronger vegetative taste to this tea, I am finding that the sweetness to this tea evens out the flavor, giving it a nice balance for the palate to enjoy, and making the tea neither too savory nor too sweet, instead … I’d say this is just right.
A wonderful Sencha – this would make a fantastic addition to any tea lover’s cupboard.
Sen Cha Fukamushi from Sugimoto America
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where To Buy: Sugimoto America
Product Description:
This is our signature Sen Cha. Our Sen Cha is “Fukamushi.” refers to the deeper (longer) steaming process after the harvest. This extra steaming time results in fine leaves, and the taste is richer and more full-bodied than regular Sen Cha. Depending on steeping conditions, it has a bit of sweetness and outstanding fragrance.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I am finding myself just as excited to learn about the theme that Steepster has selected for the latest Steepster Select box as I am to receive the tea itself! This month, Steepster chose “Steep for Japan” as their theme.
Here’s some more information on this theme:
To say Japan has had a difficult year would be an understatement. This past March, the island nation experienced one of the most powerful earthquakes since the beginning of modern record-keeping. The quake and resulting tsunami have devastated the country, and while tea production was largely unaffected, the damage to Japan’s infrastructure has severely impacted thousands of Japanese people and businesses.
As rebuilding continues, we’d like to introduce you to a few classics from a country synonymous with green tea, as our own small way of supporting the cause.
All proceeds for this box will be donated to the Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Relief Fund, which assists organizations providing aid and emergency services to the victims. For more info visit bit.ly/steep-for-japan.
This Sen Cha Fukamushi is the first of the three teas that I’m tasting from December’s box, and I’m loving it!
The aroma of the dry leaf is incredible… very fragrant. Sweet and floral. I don’t get much of a grassy smell from the dry leaf at all, which is really unusual for a Sen Cha. At least, in my experience, it is. Normally, I can smell a strong vegetative sort of quality, but, not here. Interesting.
The brewed tea does have a vegetative aroma, smelling faintly of steamed vegetables – something mild like spinach, perhaps? I still detect notes of flower and that sweetness that I noted in the dry leaf, but, with the brewed tea it has become more of a unified fragrance that is a little sweet, a little savory and a little flowery.
The flavor is quite unlike any Sen Cha that I can recall tasting. It is remarkably light in color, but the flavor and texture is quite another story. The texture reminds me a bit of a light broth. The flavor is full and sweet, with a savory tone that hits the palate by about mid-sip. This savoriness is difficult to describe, because it’s not quite bitter, it is not quite briny and it is not quite sour … but it is a little of all three, and it arrives just in time to rescue the palate from what might otherwise be a sip too sweet – delivering a sense of balance. Very nice!
I’m finding this Sen Cha very enjoyable – a rich, smooth, satisfying green tea with very little astringency. Take the leaves for a second infusion – it’s just as lovely as the first! Another excellent choice from Steepster Select!
Japanese Cherry from Joy’s Teaspoon
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Joy’s Teaspoon
Product Description:
Cherries play an important role in Japanese culture. The cherry blossom festival which takes place every year is beautiful to look at. The exquisite Sencha base was refined with high-quality sour cherries and a tempting cherry flavor. This blend is doubtless a real classic among the flavored green teas and belongs in every assortment.
Taster’s Review:
I contemplated saving this review for publication in spring, because when I sip cherry flavored green teas like this one, it inspires thoughts of springtime. But, I figured I could still channel my “inner springtime” with this tea, and enjoy it now even the weather tells me it is definitely NOT springtime.
But that’s OK. I’ve got all I need from spring right here in my teacup. The green tea base is delicate and sweet with a smooth, creamy taste to it. It supports the flavors of cherry well, and I’m happy to report that the cherry here tastes authentic. It doesn’t have that off-cherry kind of taste, and those who have experienced that off-cherry taste know exactly what I’m talking about.
Instead, the cherry flavoring here is light, with a pleasing sweetness and an ever-so-gentle hint of tart. And, I think it is that sour cherry flavor that gives this tea its sense of authenticity … it tastes very much like a real cherry, and not cough syrupy.
A delicious way to celebrate spring, any time of year!