Dao Ren Peak

I usually like black teas to get me going in the morning, but occasionally I will be in the mood for something lighter to start my day. This morning I got out my Dao Ren green tea—which is what I like to think of as my “breakfast green tea” because it fuller-bodied than other green teas and thus makes for a perfect breakfast cup. It is smooth, thick, nutty, and sweet, but not strong or astringent, and has a “gentleness” about it that makes it quite comforting. It brews up a slightly cloudy golden-green color, with a nice warm vegetal scent. It is a pleasant way to wake up and ease into the day, suitable for when you don’t need to be jolted awake (as when drinking a brisk, black tea). It is very satisfying and holds its own for breakfast—but also serves for the afternoon too.

I was surprised that one person had commented they steep it for only 1-2 minutes, although I know that is the case typically for green teas. I just can’t understand how that is long enough to taste anything though! Maybe my water is hard and that is interfering with my ability to taste the subtle notes? (I use regular tap water, usually filtered although I need to change the filter on our purifier so maybe that’s the problem?) but any tea flavor is barely detectable for me at 1-2 minutes, and I’ve tried different water temperatures. This goes for virtually all my teas. If it is not a water issue, then perhaps it’s simply that my palate just isn’t sensitive enough (and thus why I tend to prefer black teas over green in general). Perhaps I need to try more green and white teas and work on developing my tastebuds to pick up on their subtleties! I don’t know. Does anyone else have this problem?

This is unlike any other green tea I’ve steeped.

The dried leaves are a dark green, but become a lighter leaf green when wet.

The taste, to me, is rich and full-bodied. Its intensity is well above that of standard green tea, and maybe a slight notch below gunpowder green.

It might sound weird, but I get a hint of hot, cooked bacon in this tea. That’s the best way I can identify the unique flavor of these leaves.

When it goes into the mouth, you immediately sense that this is a “different” sort of green tea. The rich, slightly smoky flavor quickly fills the mouth, and goes down without any bitterness.

1 minute seems like the perfect steep if you prefer a little subtlety, which I do. I wouldn’t go longer than 2 minutes. You’ll get plenty of the bold bacon into the water in that amount of time.

Great everyday green tea, and the price ain’t bad either. If you are new to green tea and want to try it, I recommend this one. It’s basic but the quality is good.

Initially, I did not care for this tea, but it grew on me. When I first bought it there was an odd taste (seaweed like). Now it is the green tea that I compare all other green teas. It is a light body green tea. This tea also curves my appetite for a couple of hours. I have tried other store bought green teas and they have no effect on my appetite. This is the first green tea I have ever had that causes this reaction. Cheers.