Tea Review: Tsuyuhikari Gyokuro (Charaku)

Tsuyuhikari Organic Gyokuro
Charaku
Type: Green
Origin: Japan, Kagoshima Prefecture, Satsuma
Product Description:

This Naturally Grown Gyokuro from Satsuma, in mountainous central Kagoshima Prefecture, infuses to a golden-green hue, with a slight marine air fragrance despite the mountain growing region. It has medium body and the complexity of a good balance of amami (sweetness) and shibumi (astringency), but with a slightly peppery astringent finish.

Temperature: 140° F
Amount: 3 grams
Steeping Time: 30 seconds - 2 minutes

The dry leaves have an aroma of fresh ground nuts with light notes of dark green vegetables.

The liquor is light yellow-green liquor with sharp green and savory nutty notes that remind me of macadamia nuts.  The taste is rich, nutty, and savory with umami, a hint of astringency, and light notes of green grass.

For the purpose of this review I followed the suggested brewing directions, steeping for 2 minutes, then 1.5 minutes, and then 45 seconds.  The results throughout three infusions were deliciously umami-filled with refreshing green notes.  I was pleasantly surprised by how much longer the green finish was on the third infusion.

This tea was purchased by me.

Tea Review: Sunset in Seattle (Everything Tea)

Sunset in Seattle

Everything Tea

Type: Flavored Herbal
Origin: Not provided.
Product Description: 

Getting sleepy in Seattle! Rosehips, vanilla, chamomile, valerian, sassafras, spearmint, strawberry leaves, raspberry leaves, lemon grass, hyssop, wintergreen passion flowers, lemon peel, white cherry, and herbs.

Temperature: 208° F
Amount: 3 grams
Steeping Time: 3-5 minutes

The dry leaf blend includes rosehips, vanilla, chamomile, valerian, sassafras, spearmint, strawberry leaves, raspberry leaves, lemon grass, hyssop, wintergreen passion flowers, lemon peel, white cherry, and herbs.

The golden infusion has a sweet aroma with notes of mint, lemongrass, and spearmint at the forefront.  The taste is smooth and sweet with notes of cooling mint, lemongrass and a hint of rosehip tartness near the finish.

This tisane is lovely and light with a refreshing taste and aroma.  While the flavor mellows after the initial infusion, increasing the steeping time after each infusion resulted in three pleasant cups of tea. 

This tea was purchased by me.

Yanagi Chaya

During a recent visit to Asakusa in Tokyo, I took a break for tea and dessert at Yanagi Chaya (やなぎ茶屋).  The tea room is located on Shin-Nakamise shopping street near Asakusa Chuo-dori, a brief walk from Sensoji Temple and the famous Nakamise-dori shopping street.  I was in the area for a morning appointment and arrived just minutes before opening with a very brief wait to enter.

The tea room is spacious for the location with a modern interior and seating on the main floor with additional seating a half-floor down.  Orders are placed at the counter near the entrance. Find a table and your order number will be called to pick up at the counter.

Yanagi Chaya sources their tea from Morihan (森半) a tea company in Uji that has been around since 1836.  The menu includes matcha and hojicha tiramisu, matcha shiratama, matcha soft serve and floats, seasonal parfaits and, of course, a variety of matcha and hojicha beverages.

For this visit, I ordered the Uji Matcha Tiramisu with a hot cup of Hojicha.  

While there are now many places offering their own take on matcha tiramisu served in a wooden box, Yanagi Chaya's was the first I heard about through social media and it did not disappoint.  In fact, it was delicious!

Yanagi Chaya's sister shop is Maccha House located in Kyoto's Kawaramachi District.

Address:
〒111-0032 東京都台東区浅草1-30-6 橋本ビル1F
〒111-0032 Tokyo, Taito City, Asakusa, 1 Chome−30−6 橋本ビル 1F

Hours:
Monday-Friday 11:00am-5:00pm

Saturday-Sunday 10:00am-5:00pm

Tea Review: Golden Yunnan (Everything Tea)

Golden Yunnan

Everything Tea

Type: Black

Origin: China, Yunnan Province

Product Description:

A dark almost somber black tea from the Yunnan Province of China. It produces a reddish hued liquor that definitely makes one think of smoke, but not in an over-bearing manner. A full bodied tea with just a note of tanginess that is simply exquisite.

Temperature: 208° F

Amount: 3 grams

Steeping Time: 3 minutes

The dry leaves have an aroma of oats, berries, aged wood, and nutshells.

The dark copper red infusion has an aroma of warm berries and green vine.  The liquor has a dry mouthfeel with just a hint of astringency and notes of berries, dark bread, and a honey-like finish.

While the fullest flavor was in the first infusion, this tea was delicious throughout three infusions. 

This tea was purchased by me.

Tea Review: Dark Heaven (Mad Hat Tea Company)

Dark Heaven

Mad Hat Tea Company
Type: Flavored Black Tea, Flavored Puerh
Origin: Not Provided
Product Description: 

One of our most ordered Puerh blends. The closest thing to coffee in the shop!

Temperature: 208° F
Amount: 3 grams
Steeping Time: 3 minutes

The dry leaf blend includes puerh, roasted mate, chocolate, and black tea.

The liquor is reddish brown with a rich aroma of chocolate, smoke, earth, and fruit.  The taste is dark, rich, and earthy with light chocolate notes and a long, dark, roasty finish.

This does bear similarities to coffee, especially in the finish.  While I was happy with the results from a 3 minute infusion which had no notable astringency, this blend can easily be steeped longer with more leaf for darker and more bold results.

This tea was purchased by me.

Tea Review: III For the Crown (Friday Afternoon Tea)

III. For the Crown

Friday Afternoon Tea
Type: Flavored Black
Origin: Not Provided
Product Description: 

This blend is inspired by the Locked Tomb Series by Tamsyn Muir.

Oh, you wicked shining thing. That tongue has a bright spice to it, but who can resist your gleam? Golden velvet tips on the finest high-mountain Nepali black tea. Floral notes pulled forth and highlighted by citric raspberry and smoothed by vanilla. Honey in the throat and silk on the lips, all belying a burning deadly chili heat. Don't forget to dress in your finest jewels for a sparkly impression!

Temperature: 208° F
Amount: 3 grams
Steeping Time: 3 minutes

The dry leaf blend includes black tea, honey granules, raspberry, red chili flake, corn silk, natural vanilla flavoring, and gold lustre dust.

The liquor is reddish-orange with a lustrous shine.  The aroma is sweet with notes of berry syrup, baked fruit, vanilla and honey.  The taste kicks off with spicy chili in the front followed immediately by raspberries and vanilla.

I loved the spicy kick which was exactly what I was looking for when I purchased this tea.  The raspberries alongside the vanilla and honey reminded me of a delicious bakewell tart.

This tea is available September 1st through December 3rd as part of the Fall fandom line.

This tea was purchased by me.

Tea Review: The Magician (Wild Coast Brew)

The Magician
Wild Coast Brew
Type: Flavored Black
Origin: China
Product Description:

A Twist on Earl Grey

We reimagined the classically citrus-scented black tea using a lovely blend of citrusy ZunYi Black tea and roasty Keemun Black tea with added herbs like hops, linden, orange peel, and lemon verbena for more complex flavors and medicinal support. A blend to spark your belief in super-natural possibilities, to help you make leaps into the expansive unknown. 

Temperature: 208° F
Amount: 3 grams
Steeping Time: 2 minutes

The dry leaf blend includes ZunYi Black tea, Keemun black tea, lemon verbena, orange peel, linden flower and leaf, hops, and bergamot oil.

The copper red infusion has a heady citrus aroma with bergamot near the front.  The taste is surprisingly smooth and citrusy with no notable astringency and a long refreshing finish.

This citrus-filled tea blend was refreshing and bright and I would even call it cheerful.  The results were wonderful with a 2-minute steeping with the fullest flavor in the first infusion. A longer steeping time will also produce nice, if bolder, results.

This tea was purchased by me.

Tea Review: Caramel Toffee Puerh Tea (Whatcom Tea)

Caramel Toffee Puerh Tea
Whatcom Tea
Type: Flavored Puerh
Origin: Not Provided
Product Description: Not provided.

Temperature: 208° F
Amount: 3 grams
Steeping Time: 3 minutes

The dry leaf aroma has rich notes of caramel, chocolate, and marzipan.

The liquor is dark reddish brown with a rich aroma of buttery caramel and chocolate.  The taste has notes of caramel, dark chocolate, and a hint of earthiness.

This was tea was surprisingly smooth with flavor and aroma notes reminding me of caramel hot cocoa and earthiness from the puerh in the background.  I've had mixed results from similar tea blends and this was definitely a winner. 

This tea was purchased by me.

Tea Review: Kaga Bocha Ginger (Yunomi/Yamane-en)

Kaga Bocha Ginger
Yamane-en/Yunomi
Type: Flavored Green
Origin: Japan, Shizuoka Prefecture
Product Description: 

The region of Ishikawa Prefecture was once called Kaga and has a centuries-long history of roasting the stems of tea leaves. Though the region itself doesn't have a large commercial tea agriculture industry, they are masters at roasting leaf stems from other parts of Japan.

This version includes a mix of dried ginger for an extra spicy flavor.

BOWCHA is our partner in this region, and has provided us with a light roast of high grade spring tea leaf stems.

Temperature: 194° F
Amount: 3 grams
Steeping Time: 1 minute

The dry leaf aroma has notes of ginger and ground nuts.

The liquor is golden peach in color with aroma and flavor notes of roasty ginger.

This was an impulse purchase because I like hojicha and ginger tea separately and I'm delighted to say that this was exactly what I was hoping for.  The fullest flavor was in the first two infusions, though a longer steeping time of at least 2 minutes helped to lift the mellower flavor of the third.  I was reminded of a ginger-flavored puff pastry which is now something I need to find a recipe for.

This tea was purchased by me.

Tea Review: Organic Kabuse Sencha (Smile Tea)

Organic Kabuse Sencha
Smile Tea
Type: Green
Origin: Japan, Kyoto Prefecture, Kyotanabe
Product Description: 

Smile Tea loose leaf sencha is our prized product. Each bag of natural and traditional Japanese tea is full of anti-oxidants and contains carefully selected, and crafted tea leaves weighing 100 grams in weight.

Temperature: 194° F
Amount: 3 grams
Steeping Time: 1.5 minutes

The dry leaf aroma is savory, nutty, and green.

The liquor is bright yellow-green with an aroma that is savory, nutty, and green with edamame notes and a savory, nutty, and fresh green taste.

This sencha was deliciously umami-filled and refreshing throughout three infusions.

This tea was purchased by me.