Organic Green Dragon

Tea: Organic Green Dragon
Vendor: Mighty Leaf
Price: $9.95 / 15 pouches
Source: China
Vendor Description: Organic Green Dragon, made from organic Dragonwell, the world's most renowned China green tea, envelops the whole palate with a slightly sweet, very refreshing liquor. A classic wok-fired green tea, it has a delicate chestnut like flavor, captivating aroma, and a lovely yellow-green color.

Teabag: This teabag has a very interesting leaf inside. The leaf has a relatively large size to it. Not quite as large as some oolongs and the like, but large for a green tea. The shape is reminiscent of a longjing, but not quite as uniform or flat as some of the longjing that I have seen.

1st Infusion Parameters: 5 oz, 185F, 3 minute infusion

1st Infusion: The leaf turned a much brighter green when infusing. The result was a yellow colored infusion with a light and sharp aroma. The tea was very nutty like a longjing although the flavor was quite light. Given the light nature of the flavor, the tea was surprisingly astringent. The flavor was very sharp and lightly bitter, but in a good sense of balance. The flavor overall was very interesting, but I wasn't quite sure what to make of it.

Rating: 8/10

Conclusion: After looking up that this tea is infact a longjing, this was the longjing that I have liked the best out of all that I have tried. I'm still not a big fan of the type of tea, but this one was rather good. I would enjoy trying this as a stronger tea though.

Organic Detox Infusion

Tea: Organic Detox Infusion
Vendor: Mighty Leaf
Price: $9.95 / 15 pouches
Vendor Description: A luscious, detoxifying herbal infusion highlighted by clean notes of mint and basil. A spa retreat in a cup.

Teabag: This is one of the normal satchel type teabags made by mighty leaf. Inside was an interesting mixture of things which I wasn't really sure about. According to the mighty leaf website it contains:

Organic peppermint, organic burdock root, organic dandelion root, organic spearmint, organic licorice root, organic red clover flowers, basil.

I could definitely smell the peppermint. The rest I wasn't really able to discern out.

1st Infusion Parameters: 1 teabag, 5 minute infusion, 185F, 5 oz.

1st Infusion: After the teabag got wet it was apparent that there were more ingredients to the blend than I had originally had thought. There was a brown powder that was settling on the bottom of the cup. There was certain almost savory smell to the tea while it was infusing. There is a very unusual taste to this tea. There is a very strong minty flavor that is very discernable on the back of my throat. There was a little bit of a peppery flavor on the front of the taste and it leaves me with a minty breath feel. There is something on the front end that I couldn't really figure out what the flavor was.

Rating: 2/10

Conclusion: This stuff was very strange. Even as I was drinking it and after I had finished the cup I didn't know what to think of it. It was very apparent that it wasn't tea, but I knew that before trying it. I don't know much about what detox entails or what you can/cannot have during it, but this tea isn't something that I would have in the place of a regular cup of tea. If I wasn't allowed to have tea though (which I have a feeling you aren't allowed to while detoxing) I could understand drinking this instead.

Lemongreen

Tea: Lemongreen
Vendor: Tavalon
Price: $4.95 / .8 oz.
Vendor Description: A refreshing, low-caffeine blend of mellow green tea from China and zesty Thai lemongrass.

Leaf: This tea is an interesting mixture of lemongrass and large tea leaves. There is something in the mix as well that reminds me of a grass that somewhat reminds me of hay. There is a very distinct black tea like aroma mixed with a certain dustiness.

1st Infusion: The tea has a very straw brown color to it. It has a sweet aroma to it that reminds me of a mixture of lemongrass and fruity pebbles. The flavor is very smooth and long lasting. It ends with a light sense of astringency.

2nd Infusion: With this infusion the only thing that comes to mind is the taste of fruity pebbles. It is slightly more lemony and a smoother flavor.

Rating: 6/10

Conclusion: This is a very unusual tea. It's the first time that I've had a tea that reminds me of fruity pebbles. As a mixture there is nothing really wrong with it, but it doesn't remind me so much of a tea as fruity pebbles.

Technique: Ice Brewing

Continuing with my enjoyment of iced teas, I have been experimenting with a new method of brewing green teas. Ice brewing, aka Shinobi-cha is a method of brewing tea very slowly. This method involves simply placing ice and some good tea leaf in a pot together and waiting. As the ice slowly melts the tea leaf infuses at a very cold temperature. Periodically you may pour off the small amount of infused tea to produce a very potent and rich cup of tea. It creates a much more intense experience and is savored very slowly and appreciatively. This is very pleasant when enjoyed slowly throughout the day.

To brew in this method is very simple. All you need is a teapot, some very good leaf, and ice. You may either add the ice to the teapot and place the leaf on top of it, or the other way around. Pile as much ice as you can in the teapot since it will melt very slowly. Once you have them in the pot, just wait. When you feel like tasting some of this tea, just pour it out into a small cup, and enjoy.

Kukicha

Tea: Kukicha (Organic)
Vendor: Lamyx
Price:$14.95 / 1.5 oz.
Vendor Description: These are the delicate stems of the tea leaves. A light, grassy brew of exceptional quality.

Leaf: The leaf for this tea was a very lightly colored, very pale green kukicha. It seemed very atypical for a green kukicha.

1st Infusion: There was a light murkiness to this tea, it was a light yellow color with shades of brown. It gave off a very light aroma. The flavor was not a very traditional kukicha flavor, it has hints of lemongrass and other unusual flavors for a kukicha. There was a slight tanginess to the flavor and no bitterness. It did however have a light sense of astringnecy. All in all the flavor was very mellow and very hard to pin down to specific flavors.

2nd Infusion: This infusion had the same odd nondescript flavor as the first infusion. Aside from that it seemed weaker and very unusual. It didn't seem much like other green kukichas that I have had before.

Rating: 1/10

Conclusion: At nearly 10 dollars an ouce this tea seems very expensive for a very odd flavor. Normally a kukicha is a much more cost consicous tea, considering it is made primarily of the stems of the tea rather than the more sought after leaf. There were an assortment of flavors going on in this tea, most of which I could not identify.

Himalayan Black

Tea: Himalayan Black
Vendor: Ineeka
Price: $10.49 / 14 infusers (from Amazon.com)
Vendor Description: A lively, brisk energizer reflecting the nuancs of nature and our commitement to preserve its offerings.

Striving For Perfection
Awaken with zest. The perfection in this creation is visible within the uniform gold brightness of the infused leaf. Presenting a freshness that exemplifies harmony with nature.

Teabag: This was another offering using the hanging basket open top style of infusers. Similar to the sencha offering from Bassaro.

1st Infusion: This tea was very traditionally black in color. There was nothing unusual or different about the color. The flavor was a very front loaded black tea flavor. It lacked any bitterness and had just a hint of astringency. Due to the front loading of the flavor the flavor was very short lived. It had a bit of a pepperiness to it though, it almost seemed like it had a certain spiciness on the back of the throat. The flavor was light, but full bodied.

2nd Infusion: This infusion had a very light black flavor to it. The flavor was weak and it was apparent that this teabag could only really hold up for one infusion.

Rating: 3/10

Conclusion: I wasn't very impressed by this teabag. The tea was unremarkable, and the teabag itself is probably the most interesting part about it. Considering that even with the creative teabag it didn't come up with a very strong showing it could stand to improve.

Marron Chocolat

Tea: Marron Chocolat - 5523
Vendor: Lupicia USA
Price: $6.50 / 50 g.
Vendor Description: The image of this tea is an unpeeled chestnut cooked in a liqueur. The sweetness of the chestnut and astringency of its skin bring out the high-quality cocoa flavor. Recommended for relaxing times

Leaf: The tea is a very noticeable blend. There is a very noticeable mix of CTC style pellets and orthodox leaf. The appearance of the tea reminds me a lot of the cookie tea.

1st Infusion: This tea is a very dark and rich color, it reminds me a lot of coffee. The aroma is very chocolaty. It has a very light black flavor paired with a light chocolate flavor. It is very full bodied with a light sense of astringency. The flavor is very smooth, but there is not much flavor aside from the traditional black tea and mild chocolate flavor.

2nd Infusion: This infusion has the same color to it, but a lighter flavor. There is a medium sense of astringency and a medium body. There is no more chocolate flavor remaining.

Rating: 4/10

Conclusion: The flavoring for this tea was rather weak, but the color and aroma were quite enjoyable. Perhaps with using more leaf it would have been more enjoyable.

NYC Breakfast

Tea: NYC Breakfast
Vendor: Tavalon
Price: $5.50 / 1.4 oz.
Vendor Description: A hearty blend of the world's best black teas from India, Sri Lanka and Indonesia created for the New Yorker palate.

Leaf: This is a very traditional looking black tea. The color is very uniform, with a very light smattering of gold/brown stripes among the leaves. It has an aroma much like a yunnan gold, which is a very deep musky aroma.

1st Infusion: The tea has a very rich brown color to it and a very deep and rich aroma. The flavor of ceylon teas yunnan gold spring to mind. It feels very smooth and light bodied for a black tea. The flavor is primarily focused in the early and mid sections of the flavor. There is a very light aftertaste and a barely noticeable bitterness. It is very smooth and relaxing with a very light sense of astringency which leaves a nice clean feeling.

2nd Infusion: This infusion had a much lighter and more floral aroma than the first. The color was a dark carmel color with a lighter nutterier flavor. There was a light sense of astringency that paired with a more traditional black flavor. This infusion felt much more full bodied than the first.

Rating: 7/10

Conclusion: This is a very interesting black tea blend. It is a bit varied in flavor, but well balanced and enjoyable. It is a bit expensive for a blend though, for the price there are lots quite enjoyable single source teas within this price range.

Gyokuro Kin

Tea: Gyokuro Kin
Vendor: Den's Tea
Source: Asahina, Shizuoka, Japan
Price: $13.50/ 2 oz
Vendor Description: Kin offers the elegance and beauty of the famed Gyokuro teas. The harmony of slight astringency and natural sweetness turns to full-body in your mouth. Den’s Gyokuro Kin is a cup of affordable luxury.

Leaf: This leaf is very dark green in color with a slight flatness to it. There is a quite a large amount of dust to it, and a slightly matte and slightly glossy color. The leaf has a very thick and sweet aroma to it.

1st Infusion Brewing Parameters: 5g, 3 oz, 140F, 2 mins

1st Infusion: The color of this tea was a light almost luminescent green color. It had a very sweet and creamy gyokuro aroma. The flavor was thick and creamy as a gyokuro normally is, but lacked the grassiness and strength of flavor of some of the more distinguished gyokruos.

2nd Infusion: This infusion had a darker and murkier green color to it. There are hints of a grassier taste here, and it still has a thick gyokuro flavor. The flavor was sweet yet a bit weak.

3rd Infusion: This infusion was a bit lighter and had a yellow/green color. There is a light astringency and bitterness paired with the gyokruo flavor, and the flavor is still creamy.

Rating: 7/10

Conclusion: This is the lower of the two grades of gyokuro offered by Den's tea. Going into this I did not have much in terms of expectations from this tea. Shizuoka is not as famous for gyokuro as Yame or Uji. The flavor was a bit weaker than most gyokuro that I have tried. It also felt like the flavor should have lasted for more infusions.

Sencha Zuiko - Round 2

Tea: Sencha Zuiko
Vendor: Den's Tea
Price: $19.50 / 2oz
Source: Honyama, Shizuoka, Japan
Vendor Description: Sencha Zuiko is a top-tier Sencha grown at a high elevation under the most meticulous and pampered conditions. Its shiny dark needle-shaped green tea leaves brew into a yellowish liquid that provides a strong, thick full-bodied cup with the subtle flavor of fresh green vegetables. Den’s Sencha Zuiko offers green tea drinkers a mind-blowing experience.

About this tea: I wasn't really satisfied with the first review of the Zuiko that I did. I felt like something was wrong with how Den's top tier sencha turned out. So I felt that this warranted another review, this time I dropped the temperature from the standard 180F to 140F. With very different results.

1st Infusion: The tea had a very light and sweet aroma to it. The color was a pale light murky yellow. The taste of this tea was very creamy. It was very rich and full bodied in flavor. If I didn't know otherwise I would think that I was drinking a gyokuro.

2nd Infusion: The aroma was light and had a certain zing to it. The color was more yellow in color this time. The flavor was very crisp and very distinctively a sencha this time. It was clean and had only a light sense of bitterness.

Rating: 9/10

Conclusion: This time around the Zuiko was much better. The first infusion felt like it could be a gyokuro if I didn't think this was a sencha. The second infusion was a very good example of a solid high end sencha. There wasn't anything terribly bold or distinctive about this tea though. The two infusions were drastically different in taste, but each was very good in their own right. I would have liked the sencha side to be more distinctive though.