dborregoa

I normally like my green teas to have a strong flavor profile, but I have to admit I am impressed with this tea. Yes, it has a light body and very subtle flavor, but it is very good.

The aroma once infused is very floral, I can smell orchids and maybe a hint of jasmine, the flavor is reminiscent of a flower shop, if that makes any sense. The first infusion is quite aromatic but very delicately flavored, I normally use tap water but I had to use mineral water with this one because the flavor is so subtle tap water will definitely kill it.

The second infusion was, in my opinion, much better than the first one. The aroma of the second infusion was toned down and was not as strong as the first one, but the flavor was stronger and the floral flavors were very accessible, with a hint of sweet fruits I can’t quite pinpoint.

One thing to keep in mind is that this tea is quite finicky when it comes to brewing temperature, leaf quantity, and time. Teavana’s steeping parameters (175 degrees for 45 seconds) simply did not work out for me, the tea came out tasteless. The way I thought worked best was:
1st infusion: 180 degrees for 3 minutes
2nd infusion: 180 degrees for 5 minutes
I also used 2 heaping teaspoons per 8 ounces, which brings me to the next point: price.
This tea is quite pricey; at 10 USD per ounce it is not something I’d buy by the pound. It is totally worth every penny, but I think 2 ounces now and then will do the trick for me.

I will definitely buy again.

I’d say this tea ranks better than other senchas in its price range or even more expensive. I have tried many other senchas, some more expensive than this one, and none are this good. I have, mostly, been a Chinese tea drinker who, somewhat recently, started experimenting with Japanese greens, and after trying this one I have to say I am leaning more towards the Japanese greens.

As soon as I opened the pouch I was greeted by shiny, bright green leaves and a very noticeable floral smell. I’ve been brewing this tea as suggested by Den’s and both infusions are outstanding, no loss of flavor. The tea tastes very well, a full body cup with just the right amount of bitterness. There are very noticeable hints of pine, and the scent is fresh with that characteristic pungent “seaweedy” scent I’ve come to expect from sencha.

I’ve been referred to Den’s tea several times for the best Japanese green available in the U.S. and I was being stubborn. Now that I tried their most basic sencha and was blown away by its quality I have to say I’m converted. Definitely worth each penny and I may be buying it by the pound soon, but first I want to experiment with the other sencha teas from Den and finish up a lot of teas in my cupboard because I have no room.

I’m mainly a green tea drinker but this was good. Not good enough to buy again but good enough to finish what I bought and move on. I didn’t get the wine notes some have described, rather a simple black tea. I have to admit the aroma is quite unique and pleasant, but when it comes to black tea I’d rather stick with Assam.

I am quite surprised at how good this tea is. I picked up a 7 ounce tin at a local store for 8 dollars and wasn’t expecting much. Tastes just as good as more expensive versions I’ve tried and at a fraction of the cost. It has the usual caramel and fig undertones this type of tea offers and re-steeps well. In a gaiwan the 2nd infusion is the best (the 3rd if you count the rinse).

Nice and basic every day sencha. Lacks the pungent “sea weedy” aroma I enjoy from other Japanese greens.

Good sencha with enough of the boldness, grassiness, and that “seaweedy” pungency I’ve come to expect from this type of tea. Not overly priced either, I paid 9 bucks for 2oz. at a brick and mortar store.

I drink matcha on rare occasions and never by itself, I mostly use it to mix in small amounts with sencha when I want something different or (in even rarer occasions) make a matcha latte.

Definitely not a bad matcha. It is a little harder to mix that other versions I’ve had but not too bad. I do think, however, that Tevanna’s is fairly overpriced.

I’m sure some will disagree with me, but it is hard to find a high quality japanese green in the U.S. Not that there aren’t any available, but they are available through very few vendors at prices that can be, sometimes, prohibitive. All that is perfectly understandable since Japan has a very high consumption of tea and most of what we get is the little bit that “escapes.”

The Yamamotoyama teas are quite good, what you’d call an everyday. Not that they’ll replace a high grade gyokuro, for instance, but you don’t necessarily drink a high grade gyokuro by the teapot on a daily basis due to cost.

This Genmaicha, in the loose form, is quite good, actually as good or better than other more expensive versions I’ve had from Adagio. A big plus is that it is locally available at many asian grocery stores and priced as an everyday tea.

I guess what I’m trying to say is this: I will gladly indulge in a cup of top grade tea as often as my budget permits, which is not every day. For the everyday pot the Yamamotoyama products are quite good at a fraction of the price other vendors sell VERY similar offerings.

I really like smoky flavors and was excited to receive this but it was not at all what I was expecting. The smoky/pine flavor was very faint and almost unnoticeable. The predominant flavor was a harmony of pork chops, barbecue sauce and iodine. While some teas have failed to impress me, this is the very first time I thoroughly dislike one. I can’t even finish what I have and some co workers who drink tea don’t want it, after taking a whiff at the pouch they say “no thanks.”

Found this at my local grocer so I gave it a try. I liked it, it was very tangy and the dominant flavor is of lemongrass. I can see why others would think it tastes too medicinal but it is not unpleasant at all. I would pick this up again, nice every now and then.

Makes a nice and fragrant cup, a bit weak though. Got a sample of this out of curiosity and I liked it, but would not buy again. I prefer real earl grey with black tea in the mornings, there are other tisanes I prefer for a night time cup of rooibos.

This tea is unique and very different from my normal morning Ceylons and Earl Grays. The drink is very flavorful, the maltiness is definitely there but not super strong. The tea has a very noticeable cocoa character and slight tannic character. Overall, this tea makes a very well balanced cup with enough maltiness, chocolatiness, and slightly dry mouth feel. My new favorite tea, will always have this available.

Not an unpleasant cup by any means but not something I’d buy again. The smell in the pouch is of apple pie but that scent does not completely transfer to the cup. The drink tastes mostly of cinnamon and the apple is very hard to detect. The cinnamon is not overwheelming but it does overpower the rooibos.

This is a great night time tea, very pleasant and soothing cup after dinner on those days I don’t want caffeine late at night. The almond flavor is present and comes out with a touch of sugar, less than 1/2 teasopoon does it. Also, the flavoring does not overpower the rooibos flavor.

I may be wrong but I thought this tea had almond slivers and I remember seeing the pictures with almond slivers on Adagio’s website. Their current picture does not show any slivers and mine came without. Still a very good tisane, but lately Adagio has implemented some overall changes that I am not particularly pleased with. I am now looking for another website with a similar variety and customer service, this will definitely do for the time being.

Never had Darjeeling before and thought I’d buy a couple of ounces from my local grocer to try it. Great introduction to this variety of tea, just not what I look for in a morning cup of black tea. This tea is very pleasant, has a mild body, it’s a little dryer that most black teas, and has a subtle smoky flavor. Very pleasant and enjoyable, but I like the maltiness, sweetness and fullness of Assam in the morning.

Good as an everyday cup, nothing terribly complex or exciting, just a basic cup of grassy green tea. Pleasant and mild, would make a good introduction to green teas. Call me crazy, but I’ll take this over Sencha any day, I guess I just lean more towards the Chinese greens.

This tea is not bad at all, it has the roasty/nutty/grainy flavors and aroma found in most darker oolongs. It is fully body and actually somewhat similar to Rishi’s Iron Goddess of Mercy but with a more “barky” note.

As far as white teas go this is my favorite simply because it has a lot of qualities more commonly associated with green teas. It does have a semi-pungent scent and greenish flavor.

The predominant flavor here is a combination of chocolate and tea, which makes a nice combo if you ask me. A touch of sugar bring up the flavorings.

I am not a fan of flavored teas and only tried it because I got a free sample. As far as flavored teas go, this one is not so bad, I can easily see how some would like it. I’d recommend it to people who like flavored teas. I suspect this will taste good iced and sweetened, but I never thought to try. If I get another free sample I might try it iced, but not something I’d buy.

I really like this tea though I don’t get the floral notes others detect. To me, it smells like dried ripe fruit, tastes like roasted grains, and has an underlying sweetness that’s hard to describe. I make it in a gaiwan and use quite a bit of leaf. I use enough tea to the gaiwan will be almost full once they unfurl. I start with a 15 sec. infusion (after washing the tea) and add 15 more seconds to each subsequent infusion. This tea takes multiple infusions very well and fully develops by the 3rd infusion.

Another big plus for me is that I can get this at my local tea merchant for a reasonable price (actually cheaper than buying it directly from Rishi’s website), so, when the mood strikes, I don’t have to wait a few days to get it, I can just drive a few blocks and restock.

I placed 3 separate orders around my birthday last year and received 2 free samples of birthday tea and 1 free sample of Scorpius.

The only flavored tea I like is Earl Gray, all the other flavored teas taste chemical to me. This tea was no exceptionl; the flavoring drowned the flavor of the tea and was unpleasant. I don’t know why but this tea made my tongue feel funny, almost numb. I really tried to like it, I tried it several times with milk, sugar, straight, stronger, weaker, etc., it didn’t matter. Flavored teas are just not for me.

On a side note, I like how Adagio sometimes approaches presentation; the tea had some sprinkles that gave it an interesting look, though that’s more for looks and not ver functional.

Indeed an interesting tea. It is not bold or complex as other greens but it is definitely nice. The dry leaves smell buttery and the infusion has the characteristic pungent aroma of japanese greens but a lot more subdued. It pairs well with mild tasting meals and is a good tea to drink during meals because it is not very complex. I wouldn’t drink this every day but will keep it handy for when the mood strikes.

I agree with other comments stating this sencha isn’t the best. To me, Sencha is a full bodied tea with a strong grassy flavor and pungent, almost seaweedy, aroma. The price is not horrible but, in order to get any flavor, I have to use a ton of tea which ends up being more expensive than a higher grade sencha.

The seaweed arome is there but I have to get close to the cup to smell it, unlike other senchas I can smell as soon as I pour the tea. If you like sencha don’t be a cheapskate and get a higher grade one, which will in fact be cheaper. I have no problem drinking what I have left as this tea is not unpleasant, but I will not get Sencha from Adagio again, there are other senchas I like better.

As far as I understand, this tea is not exactly a high end pu erh. I am not a pu erh expert and, in fact, this is the only pu erh I’ve tried. I have nothing bad to say about it, I really like the strong earthy flavor and aroma. I normally brew it in a gaiwan and can get 5 or 6 infusions. I normally fill the pre-heated gaiwan with enough leaf to leave it almost full after they unfurl, the first infusion is only a second long or so to wash the leaves. Then I just infuse for 10 seconds at a time until the flavor gets weaker and then double the time.

This is a good, inexpensive introduction to pu erh teas. I might experiment with other higher end pu erh teas soon.