I’ve really been looking forward to this organic Kukicha touting the same blueberry green flavor profile that got me through finals week. This kukicha style of tea includes twigs from the tea plant so it’s a bit lower in caffeine and usually a bit more woody tasting. To be honest I’m a little judgy about low caffeine teas, I have an assumption that they’ll be less flavorful but I’m more than willing to test my hypothesis, especially since this is my comfort flavors! The stars of this blend are plenty of flat greens (I’m guessing it’s Dragonwell tea / longjingcha) dotted with teensy dried blueberries.
As it brews, it smells earthy but pleasant and delicate, like walking through a forest in the summer, with teases of juicy berries begging to be eaten. Not getting as much lemongrass scent, though I see it. The different components stratify themselves by weight in my gravity strainer, producing a really neat effect in the deep caramel-colored infusion. You can blame my geology profs for that last observation 😉
The complex taste of the green tea seems to expand past my mouth! It makes a single sip seem impossibly full of flavor. It’s unexpectedly rich, and then the sweet berry aftertaste lingers for a nice long while. The lemongrass is hiding somewhere in all this, but it’s not undetectable, just subtle. My second steep included rock sugar, which eased the flavor intensity a bit and made it more my taste.
I have to say, despite my bias I’m impressed with how well this low caffeine tea passed my taste-tests. Each flavor amplified the others, but nothing is overpowered. Since I’m already committed to nerdy buzzwords here, I’m going to call this a synergy blend, where the end product is more flavorful than the sum of its parts alone. Yum!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green Tea
Where to Buy: Frontier Co-Op
Organic and Kosher loose leaf Kukicha
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
White Peony Tea from Frontier Co-Op
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: Frontier Co-Op
Product Description:
This tea takes its name from its silvery, unopened buds. It has a delicate, ethereal flavor that builds on the palette with each sip.
Taster’s Review:
It amazes me how different white tea can taste from tea company to tea company, even when dealing with the same type (White Peony or Bai Mu Dan) of white tea.
This White Peony from Frontier Co-Op possesses a surprisingly earthy scent that reminds me of a the smell of a damp, musty wood with hints of moss and earth.
The taste is fresh and sweet. It is a delicate flavor but it is one that develops as I make my way down the cup. At the start, I found it to be quite delicate but now as I am near the end of the cup, I’m finding it to be really flavorful. There are pleasant fruit-like flavors and a slight vegetative quality to the cup.
And like the scent suggests, there are also interesting woodsy tones to the flavor, as well as a slight earthy taste. It isn’t overwhelming and it adds to the intrigue of the cup.
An enchanting cup of white tea, this White Peony from Frontier Co-Op!
Sencha Tea from Frontier Co-Op
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Frontier Co-Op
Product Description:
Brothy, vegetal, fresh and bright, this quintessential Japanese green tea can be enjoyed all day long. It is also an excellent tea to serve guests.
Taster’s Review:
I like Frontier Co-Op. I can always find their products at my local Whole Foods Market, and I can always count on them to provide good tasting, organic teas at decent prices.
This Japanese Sencha is a fine example. The flavor is sweet and smooth. It has a pleasant vegetative taste that doesn’t come off as too grassy. It has a very nice, light flavor that makes for the perfect tea to enjoy with meals. I especially like it when eating something spicy because the soft mouthfeel coats the palate lightly and offers some relief from the heat!
This Sencha may not be as fancy as some of the flavored teas that I’ve reviewed, but it is delicious and I really like that it is certified organic. It tastes great hot or iced. I especially like it with iced with a thin slice of lemon or a sprig of mint – it’s very refreshing!