82
drank Top Leaf by Mellow Monk
174 tasting notes

Finally decided to take the plunge and buy this tea. I’m glad I did. I figured it was more or less a sencha and it pretty much is. It’s a little different in that the grassy-spinach taste is a little subdued compared to the in-your-face senchas I’ve had. I was a little disappointing to have found absolutely no umami factor in it though.

Even with that, it is very creamy with a hint of some juicy quality. And I think there was a slight note of pistachio. I got some sort of nut note and while trying to figure it out I kept thinking pistachio. It may not be pistachio but the color of the tea kept making me think of the green nut! Either way…pistachio!

Speaking of color, the dry leaves are a nice dark emerald, wet they become this bright, vivid, vibrant emerald green. It was very pretty. Even the infusion had a greenish cast to it, very cool, kind of like a sencha or genmaicha infused with matcha powder. This is why I think I was coming up with pistachios and not some other nut…so much green!

I found a slight hint of astringency, but it wasn’t the typically blech bitter-astringency I always taste. This was a silky-astringency. It was actually quite pleasant. I never thought I would say astringency in tea being pleasant…I abhor astringency. But this was just a slight drying of the mouth with a bit of a silky mouthfeel. Very pleasant, what I always thought astringency could be but never actually found it to be, at least not in green teas.

This is such a pretty and good tasting tea, definitely worth trying out.

Preparation
165 °F / 73 °C 1 min, 0 sec
Spoonvonstup

Have you tried the Shaded Leaf? I had the chance to try this one, Shaded Leaf, and the Blissful Buds, and Shaded Leaf came out ahead. It’s also nutty as you describe, but it’s sweetness made me think of only one thing: Honey Nut Cheerios!

Invader Zim

This is the only one I bought from them so far. I wanted to try out a little to see how their teas match up to their descriptions and how much I would enjoy them. I do intend to try the others eventually.

Invader Zim

I missed the comment about Honey Nut Cherrios! How’d I miss that?! Now I will have to get some!

Ysaurella

does the liquor looks really like the picture ?

Invader Zim

Yes, it does! It’s really pretty!

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Comments

Spoonvonstup

Have you tried the Shaded Leaf? I had the chance to try this one, Shaded Leaf, and the Blissful Buds, and Shaded Leaf came out ahead. It’s also nutty as you describe, but it’s sweetness made me think of only one thing: Honey Nut Cheerios!

Invader Zim

This is the only one I bought from them so far. I wanted to try out a little to see how their teas match up to their descriptions and how much I would enjoy them. I do intend to try the others eventually.

Invader Zim

I missed the comment about Honey Nut Cherrios! How’d I miss that?! Now I will have to get some!

Ysaurella

does the liquor looks really like the picture ?

Invader Zim

Yes, it does! It’s really pretty!

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Bio

I’m an avid tea drinker, it’s what I drink all day and why I’m here. I don’t sweeten my teas except for the occasional iced tea or cold-brewed tea. I typically brew my teas with a brew basket in a 12 oz cup. If I brew another way I will always note it.

Dislikes: black teas, milk flavored oolongs, hibiscus, red rooibos, licorice, dessert teas, mate, guayusa.

Loves: straight teas, especially Chinese green teas, sencha, jasmine, dan congs, mint, coconut.

My ratings are based mostly on the smiley faces. If a tea is of good quality but not to my taste preference I try not to rate it because I think that is unfair.

I drink a lot of the same teas and will not record every time I drink them. I log them the first time I try them and then again if I did something different and/or got different results.

I also try to keep my cupboard updated to what I actually have for those that wish to swap, although some of them are merely samples.

100 – http://steepster.com/teas/verdant-tea/32720-hand-rolled-top-grade-jasmine

Location

Pennsylvania

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