Dry: This tea is a mixture of small and large leaf pieces. Much of these leaves are already so broken, they could easily fit into a tea bag. Leaf pieces range in color from dark green to pale yellow-green, and there is a vivid medium-green dust that almost looks matcha-like. The fragrance is rich, dense and kind of herbal.
Brewed: The liquor is a vivid shade of light green. Almost fluorescent. A little cloudy. On first sip, I am struck by the intense flavor. There are notes of lemon, a grassy note, and a bit of seaweed. Further sips reveal that herbal note I noticed when I opened the pouch, and a very creamy sencha flavor. Now I’m starting to understand what reviewers mean when they say a tea is “buttery.” I’m getting a bit of spinach, as well, but it’s a fresh, raw spinach, not a cooked one. This tea has a very fresh, herbal feeling to it; it’s not “roasty.” The aftertaste is a bit dry, but not bitter or astringent. I’m the person who adds sweetener to almost every tea, but I did not sweeten this; it did not need it, and adding sweetener would have compromised the complex flavor.
Overall impression: This tea is very vegetal and the flavors are strong and savory. It is neither sweet nor astringent. If you are into flavorful green teas that reveal new notes with each sip, you should give this a try. This is an excellent one.
