As a category, cherry green teas are in my personal pantheon of flavored greens. Jasmine will probably always and forever be no. 1, and I like a good grapefruit green, too. But it’s really a toss up where cherry fits in. I want to say second, but I worry that the minute I say that something will change my mind. Let’s say top 3-ish?
This one has a strong, medicinal cherry smell in the tin, but after steeping it is much mellower and more subtle. The tea is pale yellow and clear, with a tinge of green.
I was a little worried because someone else compared this to Kotobuki, which I didn’t care for. But I like how this tastes. In any case, I like it better than the Kotobuki.
I’ve had some cherry green teas that were sweeter, and I think on balance I prefer a little more sweetness. But there’s a place for a cherry that’s not really sweet but still captures the essence of cherry. I don’t find this tart or bitter at all. Just not sweet.
Which makes it interesting. As we head in to winter, I don’t think this is the best seasonal choice - it’s spring-like and refreshing - but if I don’t run out of green tea before spring I’ll try to hold onto it until then when it will hit the spot.
Flavors: Cherry
