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My first Nina’s Paris tea! When I opened the packet and took a whiff the dry leaves (broken with several bits of strawberry), I smelled a strong aroma of strawberry-flavored hard candy, with a hint of vanilla. The liquor of the tea is clear and dark brown. I was surprised by the strength of the flavor when I took my first sip. It is bold. I was expecting a black tea from India, but perhaps it came from Africa (DISCLAIMER: I have little experience in tasting teas from either country (that is, unflavored teas), but I have tried some black tea from Kenya, and this tea tasted very much like it). The tea somewhat overpowers the strawberry, but the strawberry’s presence is stronger during the aftertaste. It is a bit creamy, most likely due to the presence of the vanilla. Thankfully, it’s the strawberry that makes this tea bearable, since I’m not too partial to bitter black teas.

Since this tea is very strong, I would drink it in the morning or the late afternoon after coming home from a long day.

To my surprise, this tea came as a complimentary sample, and I am sure glad it did. I have had only one opportunity to drink gyokuro before, and it was for only one sip – a “just to try” kind of thing.

The dry leaves are lovely. Emerald green. Seaweed aroma. Wet, they are even more beautiful. Darkened in color, smelling of grass. The aroma of the tea is grassy as well. The bright green liquor is clear (save for the leaf particles). The flavor is medium-bodied, and both bitter and sweet.

During the second infusion, the leaves expanded more. The flavor was more full-bodied and flavorful. While it was a more bitter (not overly so), the aftertaste was sweeter. Because of this quality, I prefer the second infusion to the first.

This gyokuro is not only a pleasure to drink, but a beautiful tea as well. It is for anyone who aesthetically appreciates tea.

This is the fourth of the Den’s Tea sample. I have never tried matcha iri genmaicha before, so tasting this tea for the first time was an adventure I had been looking forward to!

I smelled the leaves before and after the first infusion. Dry, matcha dominated. When wet, the genmaicha was much stronger; the aroma was more roasted and nutty. As for the aroma of the tea, it was lightly roasted. The liquor, expectantly, was cloudy and emerald green. The flavor was unusual, one I didn’t anticipate. There might as well have been three separate flavors. Initially, it tasted of genmaicha. After allowing the tea to rest in my mouth for a few seconds, I tasted a balance between the matcha and the genmaicha. Lastly, the aftertaste pretty much consisted of the bitter matcha.

I must have done something wrong with both infusions. The flavor of the second one was weak and left no taste. Well, regardless, the first infusion was delicious. Additionally, I felt more serene with each sip. I recommend this tea for those who enjoy Japanese green tea, particularly matcha.

What I love about this tea is the liquor – a gorgeous royal purple. I love watching the dark pink tendrils slink through the water as the tea bag steeps.

I have mixed feelings about the flavor. Hot, the tea is tart. I can’t stand drinking it hot. I prefer it iced – even though it is still very sweet – because it’s refreshing on hot summer days.

This is the fourth from the sample pack that I’ve tasted. I must comment on the tea leaves: wet, they are a stunning dark green color! They are absolutely beautiful (and a pleasure to smell).

Naturally, the aroma is grassy, vegetal. The liquor takes on a light green and is somewhat cloudy. As for the flavor, this sencha lives up to its name: It is quite bitter, but not so in a bad way! It is also full-bodied and broth-like, leaves a strong aftertaste, and is slightly astringent.

As for the second steeping, the liquor is a bit more cloudy, and the flavor is silky, creamy, and slightly (very slightly) less bitter.

I drank these two cups of sencha while watching snow fall. Combining these two activities has made me feel doubly relaxed on this late afternoon.

This is the third sample I’ve tried in the sample package. I was very surprised when I saw the brewing instructions and, honestly, a little scared to try it! Using boiled water for a green tea!

Both the tea and tea leaves (dry and wet) have a strong roasted, wood-like aroma, and the liquor is clear, medium brown. The flavor is like that of a usual houjicha, only slightly more robust – possibly due to the fact that much of the sample consisted of tiny broken leaves. When it lingers, boy does it linger. After letting the tea settle for a few seconds in my mouth, the taste becomes much stronger. Too strong for me actually. The aftertaste is similar to that of a black coffee, which I don’t like.

I was even more surprised at the instructions for the second steeping: 15 seconds! The liquor, this time, is golden. The aroma, weaker, but still maintaining its roasted quality. It is the same for the flavor, which still leaves an astringent aftertaste. All around, the second steeping tasted like the usual houjicha I’m used to drinking.

Overall this tea is very strong and woody. I would probably drink it during an early morning because the flavor would surprise my taste buds (and brain) out of sleepiness.

This was the second sample I tried from the Den’s Tea sampler set. After letting the tea bag infuse for the allotted set of time, the liquor took on a murky, light green appearance. The aroma was pleasant: toasted, evoking the smell of fried Chinese vegetables, particularly that of bok choy (I’m probably the only one who thinks, but, hey, it’s what I was reminded of). The flavor of the tea was full-bodied and smooth, and had a fine balance of the sencha and the roasted rice. Due to the “extra green,” or matcha, it was also slightly bitter.

I enjoyed this tea very much overall. Plus, the wet leaves in the satchels were pleasant to smell!

EDITED: Around ten minutes of the finishing the first infusion, I felt a energized!

I received a tea bag as a part of the sampler set. It was so wonderful to once again smell the grassy aroma! I haven’t drunk sencha (or any other tea) from Japan ever since I left.

Because no specific brewing instructions were given on the website or the provided pamphlets, I decided to see what others wrote on Steepster. The reviews varied, so I averaged out the temperature and steeping time (this was daring for me; I like to be given set instructions). I let the water heat up to approximately 180 degrees and steeped the bag for 1 minute. The result: a slightly murky dark green appearance (bit surprised by this) and a robust and bitter, fresh grassy flavor, which lingered nicely on the taste buds after swallowing.

For the second infusion, the temperature remained the same and I let the bag infuse for 1 minute and 30 seconds. This time, the appearance took on a light green. The flavor, of course, was grassy, but not as strong as it was before. This was the taste I was expecting prior to the first infusion. Nevertheless, I was more than pleased with both infusions.

The after effect: Invigorating! I would heartily recommend this tea to those who love sencha.

The spices and sugar are over-powerful. I grimaced each time I took a sip. There might as well be no oolong, mate, or roobois in here.