Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: 52Teas
Tea Description:
I know how much you loved our Banana Pudding black tea, so I decided maybe we should try it with a genmaicha, and let me tell you, the toasted rice element of the genmaicha combined with the sweet sencha green tea takes our banana pudding flavor recipe to a whole new level of yummmmmm.
Like with the black tea version of Banana Pudding, we’ve added freeze-dried bananas, coconut and organic flavors. I think this one is going to be very popular. Can’t wait to hear what you guys think of it.
Learn more about this blend here.
Taster’s Review:
I usually like to do my reviews of the 52Teas in order from when they were released, but I skipped over this one. I’m not sure exactly why, except that I forgot that I had this tea in my stash. Usually when I brew a 52Teas tea for a review, I go to the website and see which tea I should review next. But I sort of skipped over this one because I thought, Banana Pudding? Oh, I already reviewed it. The tea I was thinking about was the Banana Pudding Black Tea. I forgot that Frank (the chief Zoomdweebie from 52Teas) had more recently created a Banana Pudding Genmaicha!
Then I realized as I was going through my tea stash that I had this tea just waiting for me to review it!
And YUM! This is good.
I think I might like this one even better than the black tea version, if for no other reason than the delicious, roasty-toasty flavor of the Genmaicha seems to add something nice to the banana flavor. It’s sort of like a banana flavored rice pudding with delicious, toasty vanilla wafer cookies. Mmm!
The sip starts out with a sweet banana-y flavor with a subtle grassy note from the green tea. There is a light, buttery note that accentuates the “wafer cookie” like flavor. Then I taste the toasty notes of the roasted brown rice, and this adds a sweet, nutty dimension to the cup that melds beautifully with the banana and the creamy vanilla notes. As the sip nears the finish, I pick up on more of the sweet, “baked” notes of the wafer cookie.
It’s a really delightful combination of banana and vanilla custard-y flavors, nutty tones, buttery notes with just a hint of grassy/vegetal notes from the green tea. The flavors all work together very well. A really tasty flavored genmaicha!
Two thumbs up for this one!
Nina’s Japon Tea Blend from Nina’s Paris
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black & Green Teas
Where to Buy: Nina’s Tea Store
Tea Description:
Black tea, sencha, genmaicha, caramel, vanilla
A marvelous blend of black tea and roasted green tea from Japan. An irresistible dreamy concoction made with crispy rice, vanilla and caramel.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Mmm! This tea is TASTY!
I’ve said before that as a rule, I have my reservations about a tea blend comprised of two different tea types like this one which is composed of both green and black tea leaves. It makes deciding how to brew the tea a little more difficult, because you aren’t entirely sure the best way to proceed in a way to get the most flavor out of the tea. Generally, boiling water is the way to brew black teas for the best flavor, but, green teas require a lower temperature to avoid scorching these tea leaves as they are more delicate.
When I have a blend like this one, I usually opt to go with the lower temperature requirements of the more delicate leaf, because it is possible to achieve flavor from the black tea at a lower temperature, and I’d rather lose a little bit of flavor from the black tea than to possibly scorch the green tea and have bitter flavor. So I used 185°F water and steeped the tea for 3 minutes.
And I’m quite happy with the result.
I taste the rich notes of the black tea, the warm, toasty notes of the genmaicha green and the sweet, fresh notes of the Sencha. And these flavors meld beautifully with the caramel and vanilla notes of this blend. It’s really quite yum!
The sip starts out sweet. The first notes I recognize are the roasty-toasty notes of the genmaicha’s brown rice, and I love how the roasted rice harmoniously marries with the sweet, luscious caramel flavor. These two flavors were made for each other. Then I notice the vanilla, it’s a top note here, but it’s not an intrusive flavor. It sort of gently blankets the flavors with it’s soft, creamy sweetness. Delightful!
The rich, smooth flavor of black tea starts to work its way into the sip shortly after I experience the rice and caramel, and the black tea adds a whole other dimension of sweetness and flavor. It adds a real depth to the flavor that makes this tea special.
The freshness of the green tea notes arrive on the palate at about mid-sip. While Japanese Sencha teas can sometimes taste bittersweet, right now I just notice sweetness. There is a slight bittersweet note that I experience in the aftertaste, and I like that savory element.
A delight to sip, from start to finish!
Organic Genmaicha with Matcha Green Tea from Shi Zen
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Shi Zen
Tea Description:
Genmaicha is one of the most popular teas in Japan. This Organic Genmaicha is coated with Matcha so when you infuse you will have a beautiful green color along with the pleasant nutty aroma. This tea is perfect to have with a meal or after meals.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This Organic Genmaicha with Matcha from Shi Zen is so lovely! I love the flavor contrast between fresh, “leafy” green-y taste of the Sencha and the roasty-toasty goodness of the roasted brown rice, while the Matcha adds a creaminess and a depth of flavor to the cup. It’s a delightful cuppa!
The picture above accurately depicts what I found when I opened the pouch of this tea – deep, bright jade green Matcha dusted over the tiny spears of Japanese Sencha tea leaves and the pieces of crisped brown rice. It smelled toasty and warm, but there was also a distinct “freshness” to the aroma as well.
The first flavor I notice as I sip is the sweetness of the roasted brown rice. It’s sweet and there is an almost ‘caramel-y’ note to it. Just beneath the top note of brown rice, I notice the slightly vegetal notes of the Sencha, and this offers a somewhat bittersweet flavor in a sweet-yet-savory way. It’s a little grassy tasting, but this is not a prominent flavor. I find that the flavors of the Sencha are softened somewhat by the presence of the Matcha, which lends a certain creaminess to the cup and a buttery undertone. It’s a very smooth tasting drink.
There is very little astringency. That is to say that I notice relatively no astringency to this at all. The finish is soft and clean and the aftertaste is lightly sweet.
I love that this tea is organic (as are the other loose leaf offerings from Shi Zen!) I don’t know if I can actually taste a difference, but I feel better drinking an organic tea, and I appreciate that Shi Zen makes this a priority!
Organic Sencha Superior Green Tea from Shi Zen
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Shi Zen
Tea Description:
Our organic green tea are from the family farms in the foothills of Mount Fuji. From the farm that has been practicing organic plantation for more than 2 decades. This organic green tea superior will be the teas that are harvested in spring, which is the very first pick that is evaluated as the highest quality in Japan. You will taste the deep umami (savory) from this tea, which can only be tasted from the spring harvested organic teas.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
When Shi Zen contacted us recently to inform us of their new line of loose leaf Japanese green teas, I was excited to try them. I really enjoyed their powdered green teas, and I figured that if these new teas were up to the standards that I experienced with Shi Zen’s powdered tea products, then I knew that I was in for a treat.
And I was right! This Organic Sencha Superior Green Tea from Shi Zen is an excellent Japanese Sencha! First of all, I LOVE that it’s an organic product. The flavor here is so crisp and vibrant! As the tea washes over the palate, it feels energized and I feel my body revitalize. I love how a good green tea does this to me … and this is a really good green tea.
The flavor is sweet with a savory bitter tone toward mid-sip. This Sencha has a sweeter flavor than most Japanese Sencha teas that I’ve encountered, and the bitterness is more subdued. Normally, I expect the sip to start off sweet and the hint of bitterness to arrive right around mid-sip, as it does with this tea. But the sweetness was longer lasting with this Sencha Superior, and the bitterness is more restrained.
It is vegetative, of course, and I find that the vegetal notes here are more like a mild vegetable that’s been lightly steamed with delicate notes of butter than it is a grassy vegetal flavor. There are underlying notes of a kelp-like, salty note that brings forth a savory flavor, giving this a balance between sweet and savory notes.
A really, really good Sencha!
Organic Kyoto Cherry Rose Green Tea from Delicious Sip
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Delicious Sip
Tea Description:
This is a fresh and smooth green Sencha tea with excellent body and depth. The bright cherry and subtle rose flavors give this tea a wildly exotic character unique in its own right.
The tea used in this savory blend is grown only from March to April and the quality is clearly tasted in every cup. The Hunan Province is renowned for producing excellent Japanese style green teas and our Organic Kyoto Cherry Rose tea is a prime example. We invite you to brew a cup and taste the difference.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
It’s that time of year again! Spring just doesn’t seem like spring until I’ve had at least one cherry sencha tea! With the first sip, I start daydreaming … reminiscing of walking in Washington D.C. in the spring, along the Potomac River where it’s lined with gorgeous cherry blossom trees in full bloom.
And then my mind jumps to memories of walking along the streets in Southern California where the beautiful Jacaranda trees line the streets. I’m not sure why cherry blossom trees make me think of jacaranda trees, except that they are both gorgeous, blossoming trees, and living in Southern California as long as I did … I had the opportunity to enjoy them more than I did the cherry blossom trees along the Potomac. Of course, I do see cherry blossom trees up here (and no jacaranda trees!) but there’s something about the way the cherry blossom trees lined the river (and the way the jacaranda trees lined the streets) that make me think of spring.
Jumping off that tangent and into this teacup … this is a lovely cherry flavored Sencha. The green tea tastes fresh and vegetal with hints of creamy butter and just a hint of a savory quality in the distance. It’s a lovely contrast for the sweet cherry notes. And even though those cherry notes are sweet, the hint of flower in the cup seems to keep the taste away from toeing the line of medicinal (cherry cough syrup) and keep the flavor on this side of pleasant tea flavor. A bonus!
The rose notes are floral without tasting soapy. The cherry adds just the right touch of sweetness to the cup without tasting too medicinal. The green tea has a lush flavor to it – it’s soft and creamy without being too heavy on the palate.
A really refreshing tea – one of my favorites to sip on this time of year! And I love that this version from Delicious Sip is organic (as it would appear all the teas from this company are!) This one is great iced too!
A lovely tea from a company that is new to me … but one from which I’m excited to taste more!