I’ve just recently started drinking Japanese tea, sticking mostly to Sencha and Matcha.  Prior to branching out, I was most interested in Chinese green tea and I noticed immediately that when comparing the two, Japanese greens seem to have a more pronounced flavor and livelier personality.  Subtle is not a word that I would typically associate with Japanese tea, but I think that’s why I’ve quickly grown to love them.

Tea Gschwender’s Japan Tamaryokucha is a Japanese green tea that has been prepared by the Chinese approach of pan firing and hand-rolling the leaves.  I wasn’t sure what to expect of this tea.  Would it suffer from an identity crisis?

The dry leaves are very small, dark green, and wiry and look nothing like the typical vibrantly colored “grass clippings” associated with Sencha.  The scent was slightly grassy and a little reminiscent of the sea.  Following the specifications, I used one heaping teaspoon and a two-minute steep in water brought to a boil and allowed to cool for a few minutes.  This produced a pale green/yellow cup with a grassy and sweet aroma.

And the taste?  Well, the taste was…subtle.  Each sip had a lovely buttery taste with just a hint of grassiness.  It was very balanced and soothing, the perfect cup for relaxing.  This is definitely a unique and delicious Japanese green.

— To purchase TeaGschwendner Japan Tamaryokucha, or for more specific information on ingredients or the story behind this particular tea, click here to go directly to the manufacturer's web site.

Erika Teaviews.com Reviewer » Read more about this reviewer on Erika's profile page. » Find a list of recent posts by Erika.

---