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“Yay! My first second steeping of a tea! If I decide to resteep other teas, I’ll probably tack the findings on to the end of the first steep results. But since my last review of Gunpowder was so...” Read full tasting note
“Backlogging from last night.. Bad, I know. I wasn’t sure whether to log this under Honeybush Mango or Gunpowder, since I went half and half with the two teas. This is now my new favorite blend. I...” Read full tasting note
“I got a sample tin of this tea from Ricky in a trade (thanks man!). Now I’ll start off by saying that the first and only experience I’ve had with gunpowder green tea was rather…regretable. It had...” Read full tasting note
“Trying to get rid of this one so I have an empty tin… loved it when I bought it, now I don’t care for it. It’s not bad, I’ve just found other teas I like more.” Read full tasting note
Gunpowder is a classic green tea from Zhejiang province, China. As the name implies, Gunpowder tea is made up of leaves hand-rolled into tiny pellets. These resemble gunpowder, and give this tea its distinct name. Full-bodied cup with a hint of smokiness and a smooth mouthfeel. Blend Gunpowder tea with spearmint to create the famous ‘Moroccan Mint’ tea.
Gunpowder is the world’s oldest known chemical explosive. Made from sulfur, charcoal, and saltpeter, it is one of the Four Great Inventions of China, alongside the compass, paper-making, and printing. Though it’s famous for its use in weaponry like guns and cannons—spawning countless movie scenes of exploding barrels or chases to snuff out sparking black lines, it was also used for more constructive purposes like mining and even medicine. Though Gunpowder tea doesn’t carry quite the same explosive punch as its namesake, it is famous for its smokiness and shape, both of which lend themselves to its unique name.
Green Tea | Moderate caffeine | Steep at 180° for 2-3 minutes.
Adagio Teas has become one of the most popular destinations for tea online. Its products are available online at www.adagio.com and in many gourmet and health food stores.
I enjoyed this gunpowder more than others I’ve had previously. Less smoky and more vegetal (slightly, but way more than others I’ve had). I’m not a huge gunpowder fan though, so I won’t likely order more of this for a long while.
I’m pretty picky about Gunpowders, and this is definitely not one of my favourites. I have nothing against “grassy” teas — some I’m really quite fond of — but this tasted as if I’d stuffed a fistful of grass in my mouth, dirt and all.
If you like really strong, grassy green teas, this tea is for you, but it wasn’t for me. I don’t think I ever found a good steep time for it; it either tasted like warm water or like I was licking a meadow every time I made a mug of this one. I am sure there are people looking for this in a tea, but it was just too strong for me.
