Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Aiya
Tea Description:
This special green tea goes through a longer steaming process, allowing the natural flavors and colors to imbue the tea leaves. And although the steaming process decreases the tea’s aroma, it also cuts the astringency creating a richer and more full-bodied flavor compared to regular Sencha. The difference in the process leads to a unique blend of a cultural favorite.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
The dry leaf aroma of this Deep Steam Sencha Green Tea from Aiya is interesting … it’s different from other Japanese Sencha teas that I’ve experienced. Usually, I experience a strong grassy note from Japanese Senchas, but here, I notice more of a roasted seaweed kind of scent, reminiscent of the roasted seaweed snacks that are gaining in popularity. Me … I’m not a huge fan of the seaweed snacks, although I seem to be part of a minority on that one. Oh well.
But, even though I don’t particularly enjoy seaweed snacks, I didn’t let the aroma of this Deep Steam Sencha deter me for two reasons: 1) it isn’t the aroma that I dislike about seaweed snacks; and 2) I trust Aiya. They’ve not let me down before, and I trust that I’ll really enjoy this Sencha based on past experiences with them.
The brewed tea maintains that toasty scent … it isn’t that warm, roasty-toasty scent that you might experience with a genmaicha, it’s more like the aroma that I’d notice if I were to roast fresh asparagus. It has that fresh vegetative note with warm, toasted nut tones.
The flavor is much like that too … it is less vegetative than the typical Sencha … the steam process has mellowed that strong vegetative tone. Oh, I still taste a grassy note here, but, it’s lighter. There is a fair amount of astringency to this. Warm, freshly roasted nut flavors. There is a hint of savoriness to this too, almost like someone added a few flakes of Kosher salt to the brewed tea (I didn’t, I promise!) Not salty, exactly, but it does have a certain broth-y quality with a whisper of brine to it.
I find this tea to be very energizing. It would make a great alternative to the usual morning tea, it’s very refreshing, crisp, and yet invigorating. I like this unique Japanese Sencha … different from the usual cup of Sencha. Different, but just as enjoyable!
Steamy Cinnamon Rose Tea from Talbott Teas
Tea Type: Black Tea
Where To Buy: Talbott Teas
Product Description:
Exhilaration comes with every cinnamon-filled sip. As the fresh aroma of rose petals unfolds to reveal lacings of orange and clove, you welcome the new day with confidence.
Ingredients
All natural premium ingredients: Full-leaf black tea, orange peel, cloves, rose petals, cinnamon and natural orange flavor.
Tasters Review:
Some teas I just HAVE to post because they do something RIGHT where other companies do not. This is one of those teas! Steamy Cinnamon Rose Tea from Talbott Teas is the tea I am highlighting this evening. Eventho Steamy Cinnamon Rose Tea from Talbott Teas was NOT Mentioned by name on Oprah’s Favorite Things this past Monday – if you look close to the TiVo, DVR, Play-Back, or online clip you can see the classy Maroon and Black labeled tin of it in the display picture!
The reason I say that Talbott Teas did this tea RIGHT is because many rose teas and many cinnamon teas I have had either have too much, not enough, or fake tasting flavoring. Talbott Teas made Steamy Cinnamon Rose just the way I hoped it would taste!
This is a nice bold black flavored tea! Perfect for the mornings! The black tea taste is in front with lovely true orange flavors 2nd in line. The cinnamon and spices are in the background and are ‘just right’.
Thank you for the measurements of these ingredients, Talbott Teas! The end result was “steamy”, yes, but not over-the-top or artificial tasting. And the Rose and Orange flavors are lovely!
