New Tasting Notes
The leaves are silvery and possess the distinctive curly shape, and they brew up into a yellow-brown liquid that reminds me a lot of white peony/pai mu tan. The taste also reminds me a lot of a good loose-leaf pai mu tan. The aftertaste gets progressively more bitter as you get to the end of the pot; I found the second steeping a lot more gentle. This is a green tea that will definitely appeal to lovers of white tea.
The dry tea is light green whole leaves and as I crush it into the pot, the lemony fragrance is very notable. I add boiling water, and in 3 min I have a strong enough tisane, a clear yellowish green liquid. The flavor is vegetal, lemony and minty all at once. I got this for blending, but it is a quite fine drink on its own. I added a bit of sugar, which worked nicely.
After my first purchase of matcha kit with pinnacle grade matcha from Teaopia two weeks ago, I am already officially hooked.
Many people online suggested that one should start off with lower grade matcha and gradually move up the ladder in order to fully appreciate the good ones. I debated and decided to use a different method, and now I’m glad I did. I started off with the highest grade of matcha Teaopia offered, the Matcha Pinnacle, because I don’t want something disgusting tasting that will turn me off it from the beginning. OUCH MY WALLET! It also gives me the option to play around with the matcha to be able to make it into either usucha or koicha.
Now, I am absolutely and completely hooked. I’m already halfway through my 30g tin because I just absolutely must have a nice relaxing bowl of it as I get home from a long day at work. It helps me relax and actually able to focus on my studies and even helps me sleep a bit, strange as it might sound. I guess in a way I’m lucky because caffeine doesn’t affect me very much, and I can barely feel the caffeines from any coffee or tea that I’ve drunk, so no problems there.
I must say, THE TASTE is the most heavenly and beautiful tea taste that I have ever had. It completely revolutionizes the experience of tea. As soon as you open the can, you can smell the wonderful grassy sweet smell, distinct from any other tea that I have tasted so far. (It may possibly smell like gyokuro, but I have yet to try that) Using 2 chashakus (bamboo tea spoon) for usucha or 4 chashakus for koicha, sifting is a must (I just press it through a mesh filter), add 2-3 oz of water at 70-80 degrees celcius to an already pre-heated bowl, and whisk with the chasen (bamboo whisk which is an art in itself).
The taste of it as an usucha is unbelievably refreshing and it feels like it’s cheering you up, even. It foams very easily, an indication of a great matcha. The colour is of a beautiful bright green, like grassy hills in springtime. The best words to describe this usucha is pure and bright.
The koicha is incredibly incredibly smooth and the texture is yogurt-like. The colour is a deep dark green, with no foam. The intense sweetness in it is so unexpected from a tea that is so concentrated. It is a completely different experience than the usucha and should be called deep and sophisticated.
Both usucha and koicha contain almost no astringency whatsoever and no bitterness either. The grassy taste is obvious, but not too overwhelming that you feel its “bleerghh” if you know what I mean.
All in all, LOVE IT!
Prepared this with warmed vanilla soy milk and agave nectar. Has a really interesting taste. A chai with an unexpected rooibos twist. The blend of spices and rooibos is perfect. They don’t compete or overpower each other. Keep meaning to order more of this since I drink it often in the evenings due to being caffeine free.
I had this per BenC’s recommendation at Radiance Tea House, and it was amazing! It was harvested just a few weeks ago. It’s smoother, more delicate than other dragonwells I’ve had, and it gets sweeter over time. Expensive, yes ($20+ for a pot), but definitely worth a try. If you’re in NYC, head over to Radiance with a friend. You won’t regret it.
The dry tea is visually lovely, with blue cornflower accents and aromas of black tea, bergamot, and jasmine. Boil water, 5 min steep, and strong but not bitter, the green tea being in the minority. I was a little afraid this would taste like too much of a mishmash, with all that’s in the blend, or that it would taste like nothing particular. I was wrong. Various elements come out at different moments — quite an enjoyable experience! I had mine with milk and one lump, just as I imagined the Queen and her guests doing.
I think I have found another top green tea favorite. This tea is wonderful! This spice is mild and allows the lemon to come through in just the right amount. The lemon flavor sits in my mouth after I swallow and provides a very fresh feeling. Just great! www.52teas.com
