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Received this as part of the Otameshi sampler set from Den’s. It comes in one of those pyramid teabags which I cut open and used loose. Right away I could tell this was a step above ordinary bagged genmaicha. The tea smelled and looked very green. The matcha had a vibrant color and freshness.

I didn’t have the nerve to use boiling water as Den’s recommends so instead I steeped it my usual way for 1 minute at 181 F and then 30s at 195 F.

It’s brothy with a sweet matcha flavor and a gentle nuttiness from the toasted rice. Teeming with notes of spinach, grass, and fresh vegetation. This might be too green for some but for me it was perfect.

Spotted this at the Middle Eastern grocery store and thought it would make a nice base for decaf earl grey lattes. I love earl grey tea but don’t have it that often as I really only crave it – and black tea in general – in the evening when I’m trying to avoid caffeine.

Teabag smelled like Lipton. A wee bit of bergamot peeks through while steeping but the aroma is nothing close to that of loose leaf earl grey. Steeped for 5 minutes using boiling water. The tea concentrate was tannic and artificial tasting. Adding milk and sugar did improve things. However the flavor pales in comparison to the Adiago Earl grey I’ve been using for lattes lately. May need to double up on the teabags next time or use less milk.

As I finish off the last teaspoon and prepare to say goodbye to this tea, I can’t help but wonder whether I tapped into its full potential. It usually takes a while to dial in Japanese greens. That tends to happen when I’m halfway through a 100g bag. For whatever reason, it didn’t happen here.

The tea has an intensely sweet forestry and floral aroma. Beautiful, bright green color typical of deep steamed sencha. The first sip is brothy then wet grass and umami as it cools. Upon resteep, the color deepens and the tea becomes cleaner and more buttery. Fairly enjoyable but nothing showstopping. This is when the tea was at its best. Other times it tasted bland, sulfuric, or a little salty.

Overall this was a respectable fukamushi with fleeting glimpses of brilliance however I just couldn’t get in the cup what I smelled. Can’t tell if I’m to blame here or the tea.

Another back of the cupboard hidden treasure. This is a rare aged Sencha courtesy of Cameron B. It was aged 3 years and then probably aged another year in my cupboard.

The choppy forest green leaves of this Kabusecha are interspersed with light green twigs that despite the age, have a fresh aroma of kelp and sea grass. The tea is thick, with an oceanic saline flavor, vegetal undertones, and notes of straw and wheatgrass. The flavor profile reminds me of sushi and I reckon this tea would pair nicely with it. A tad bitter at times but nothing off putting. I got four good steeps out of it which is impressive for sencha.

I didn’t even know green tea could be aged and to be honest, my unsophisticated palette couldn’t discern how it differs from regular sencha. All I know is it was good!

I’ve had this tea for a while now but only recently figured out how to properly steep it. Thank God for old Steepster tasting notes! It’s too aggressive when gong fu’ed but tastes wonderful western steeped using cooler water. I steeped 1.3g in a 160ml clay teapot.

Infusion 1 – 190 F/2:30
Chocolatey, smooth malt without the earthiness you get from boiling water. Medium bodied, well balanced with a nice sweetness

Infusion 2 – 205 F/4m
Darker color, thicker. Delicious throat coating burnt caramel/brown sugar flavor.

Recently, I’ve been doing a full-on Marie Kondo inspired cupboard clean out. Sold old teaware online and gave away a bunch of teas that didn’t “spark joy” anymore. In the process, I re-discovered teas that had been lost in clutter. Such was the case with this tisane which had been sitting in the back of my cupboard for over 5 years. I almost tossed it thinking it was probably stale but I’m glad I didn’t.

It brews up a beautiful, deep burgundy and the smell is reminiscent of another favorite tisane, Tim Horton’s Apple Cinnamon tea. The taste of this tea is warm cinnamon rolls followed by plum and then cranberries. Adding a touch of sweetener really enhances the flavor and brought out apple cider notes. I didn’t realize until later there was hibiscus in this blend as there’s no sourness. It just adds a gentle tartness to the tea.

I haven’t had the greatest luck with Rishi flavored teas but this is one of their better ones.

This was a pretty good black tea that resembles some Chinese blacks I’ve had. Sweet malt and caramel aroma that carries over to the flavor of the tea. Full bodied, pleasantly malty with a hint of yam and a little cocoa as it cools. When cold brewed it’s more subdued and tastes of dried prunes.

Spring 2022.

Last tea from my Eco-Cha order. Fairly good high mountain oolong with a decidedly floral flavor and fruity accents. Notes of hyacinth, daffodils, and gardenia. Light-medium bodied yet still coats the mouth nicely. It’s a resilient tea that handles any water temperature like a champ. Boiling water and long steep times never led to any bitterness.

While good, I found this one a bit lacking compared to other Li Shans I’ve tried. It had a somewhat generic high mountain taste, started fading after only a few steeps, and the flavor and aromatics disappeared quickly after opening.

Not the best kamairicha I’ve ever had. This is a very light bodied tea with a simple flavor profile. Corn silk with light accents of fruit and grass. Easy to drink but overly simple flavor that tastes like half spent leaves of a better green tea.

Courtney nailed it with her description of this tea – it’s a chocolate-smelling hojicha. It smells like a chocolatey black but when brewed, it’s warm and toasty. Standard hojicha flavor and a good quality hojicha at that. It has a smooth, gentle roast that’s very comforting. Tastes wonderful on a cold morning.