Dec 08
Katie’s Teaview Snapshot
 | "I really enjoy vegetal green teas, so this isn't the perfect flavour for me, but if you don't like feeling like you're drinking spinach, this may be ideal."
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Vanessa's review of this tea immediately made me want to try it. That part about eating the leaves? Had to do it. Had to. I'd tried a few leaves here and there but never braved adding soy sauce and downing a whole bowl of leaf, so it's about time I do.Boulder Tea lays down pretty specific guidelines for steeping their Senchas, which is not unappreciated, so for my three steepings I followed these directions as precisely as possible. Steep 1: One teaspoon of leaf for my three ounce gaiwan. Steep 90 seconds with steaming water (mine was about 190 degrees or so). The mid-sized leaves stay obediently in my gaiwan as I pour the tea out, and the light yellow-green liquor has a smooth, lemony flavour. It is mellow, lacks astringency, and is non-vegetal. The main flavour has an abrupt finish, but the lemon taste lingers on the back of my tongue.
My second steep, as per Boulder Tea's instructions, is a mere 5 seconds with boiling water. This steep is equally as smooth, but overall weaker and somewhat more simple. Steep three is also done with boiling water and for 15 seconds. It is very similar to the second, and both are good. Boulder Tea warns that these will be astringent, but I don't sense that - they are impeccably smooth and well-balanced.
After three cups, I am ready to eat the leaves. I add a splash of soy sauce and dig in with chopsticks. The leaves are somewhat earthy and astringent. They are not vegetal or even slightly bitter. The texture is fantastic, and I will definitely be eating the rest of my sample.
Overall, this has been a fun experience I won't mind repeating for the rest of the leaf. Personally, I really enjoy vegetal green teas, so this isn't the perfect flavour for me, but if you don't like feeling like you're drinking spinach, this may be the ideal Sencha for you.
— To purchase Boulder Tea Kaze Sencha, or for more specific information on ingredients or the story behind this particular blend, click here to go directly to the manufacturer's web site.
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Katie Teaviews.com Reviewer » Read more about this reviewer on Katie's profile page. » Find a list of recent posts by Katie. |
January 13th, 2010 at 6:37 am
[...] (Read the whole review from Vanessa here) Vanessa says… Well, after completing nearly 300 tea reviews for TeaViews, I have done something with this sample of Kaze Sencha that I have never done before: eat the tea. … The tea has a savory/broth-like quality to it, but avoids being aggressively vegetal. This is a calmer, milder Sencha than I am used to, and one that I really appreciated. On several occasions as I was drinking this tea, I caught myself saying “yum” alound. This tea is highly enjoyable on its own, but also would be perfect to pair with meals. … I have to say that I really enjoyed this. Kaze sencha brought the tea experience to a new level. [...]