78
drank Gyokuro by Adagio Teas
865 tasting notes

This came on Saturday and I thought this would be the perfect day to rip into it since it’s the Select item- and it’s my 1st gyokuro!

Prepared as suggested. 1tsp/170 degree purified water. I’m really glad they’ve gotten away from the 1tsp/180 degree water parameters, but this isn’t close enough. Leaf amount is right, but water volume has got to be less, the temp has got to be cooler, and it’s way over steeped. But, this is what they suggest, so it’s what I’ll try 1st.

The liquor is a light olive color w/ a very sweet aroma- almost as sweet as the musk melon I just had. The mouth feel is very smooth- not exactly what I expected since the leaves are so tiny leaving particles in my cup. The flavor is very sweet with just a hint of astringency. Good, but I think an overhaul of the steeping parameters will give me a better cuppa.

Preparation
170 °F / 76 °C 2 min, 0 sec
Shinobi_cha

Tiny particles, in a gyokuro? I am no expert , but don’t tiny particles only come in deep steamed (fukamushi), or if the (green) tea is low quality?

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Shinobi_cha

Tiny particles, in a gyokuro? I am no expert , but don’t tiny particles only come in deep steamed (fukamushi), or if the (green) tea is low quality?

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Are you a company or tea blender on sites like Adagio that would you like your tea reviewed? If so, please e-mail me @ SMSchneider@live.com.

What I most enjoy from obtaining samples from companies to review is that it helps me to better learn to drink and review teas from a more objective perspective, meaning more of the “This tea is…” point of view rather than the “I like/don’t like” this tea. I feel objectivism in tea reviews is EXTREMELY important because no two tea drinkers tastes are exactly the same. I’ve also been extremely surprised by several teas. I love recieving a sample I think I will be only writing an objective review on, only to completely fall in love with it upon tasting it.

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Tea tastes:
I will ALWAYS pick loose leaf over tea bags. I only drink bagged tea if that’s my only choice or I find a flavor that I can’t find a loose leaf version for. When I do drink bagged; however, I always weigh my bag and am constantly curious as to the weight/flavor ratio- sometimes I am quite surprised by the flavor punch of light bags.

I have a preference for organic and fair trade teas (preferably both), but would never pass up an amzing tea just because it isn’t organic and/or fair trade.

I love savory teas.

I’m currently searching for a chai flavored soy powder or a soy based chai mix (either already mixed or a recipe).

I hardly EVER sweeten my teas. I feel that sweeteners (unless flavored like tea honeys, brown sugar, ice cream topping syrups, flavored coffee syrups, etc) do not add anything to the flavor profile of tea- in fact, I’ve found that they dumb down the flavors.

I NEVER serve my tea over regular iced cubes- I always make tea cubes.

I LOVE cooking w/ tea and making smoothTEAS.

I LOVE tea blending.

I rarely drink herbal teas unless they are mixed with true teas. My favorite herbals to mix with true teas are: spearmint, peppermint, lemongrass, rose hips, and gingeroot.

I can’t stand anything w/ fennel or anise. Hot black teas (except orange pekoe bagged tea that you get when you go out to eat and chai teas) tend to upset my stomach.

I drink matcha daily and love flavoring it. I’m also in a constant search of preflavored matchas.

I’m constantly searching for information on how to prepare tea authentically according to its country of origin.

My Tasting Notes Ratings (edited 8/8/10)
1: I can’t even stand the raw leaf enough to make this (I’ve never owned a tea w/ this rating, but I’ve smelled some before buying resulting in me NOT buying them that were that bad)

2: I steeped this tea but couldn’t stand the aroma enough to get it past my nose

3: I immediately gagged at the 1st sip and spit it out.

4: I manageed to get the 1st sip down, but I tossed the rest.

5: I drank the 1st cup but I can’t bring myself to resteep

6: Made it thru the entire set of infusions but I can’t bring myself to tinker w/ the parameters and won’t be making it again.

7-10: Does not taste anything like the ingredients or name suggests (i.e. Adagio’s Sour apple)

11-25: I can taste some of the ingredients, but the flavor is severely lacking

25-49: Teas that I would not consider bad in their flavor profile, but certainly below average

50: Average.

51-69: Teas above averge, but I wouldn’t go as far as calling them “good”.

70-75: Very good, but still room for improvement

76-85: Above average flavor profile

86-90: REALLY good flavors

91-99: Almost PERFECTLY achieves the goal of the ingredients and name of the tea.

100: Abosolutely perfect teas!

Other Interests: GOD! and all things pertaining to Him and His children, my dog Madison, travelling, and coffee.

Favorite Music: ANYTHING Christian. I don’t normally listen to secular music, but I do love jazz and swing.

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Favorite Books: THE BIBLE!!! & My Sister’s Keeper

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Criticism is something we can avoid easily by saying nothing, doing nothing, and being nothing”- Aristotle

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Favorite Foods: fried calamari, lemon chicken, anything w/ buffalo sauce.

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