I got this as a free sample with my Soleil order. It looks and smells a lot like the gyokuro that I loved so much from Tehku, but there is something spicier about the aroma of the dry leaves.
Followed the instructions for brewing, and I have to say that the Mountain Dew (my husband’s preferred brand of “tea”) colored brew is more than a little disturbing. Still, the smell is nice, like an earthy cheese or a fatty bean.
I don’t really know enough about Kabusecha and Gyokuro, but if the two I have tried so far are representative of their classes, then these two teas must be related. This tea has that same buttered bean sort of flavor, of which I am apparently a fan. There IS a slight bitterness that I could do without, but it’s barely noticeable. It also tastes a little grassier than the gyokuro.
As this is about half the price of the gyokuro I currently have, I’d say it’s definitely worth it!
Flavors: Beany, Butter, Grass
