Frank W. Send Message

Not bad stuff…though I have had it in the cupboard for at least a few months and not sure what I paid for it. Has a typical Rock Oolong taste, toasted, light brown liquor with a pleasing scent almost like a darjeeling. I could drink this daily, but first will have to research what I paid for it. Has a slightly smokey, buttery finish. Rock Oolongs are not my favorite tea, but this one is a personal favorite.

I have to second Ellen’s review. Brewed this up and just didn’t have a taste, smell, or mouthfeel worth mentioning for me. I even tried different temps and times, but was just weak in every sense of the word. It was a depressing day all around for me and fellow progressives since I was watching election coverage. :(

Similar to most of the other Den “unusuals” which I’ll call the Gurichas, kukichas, banchas and others. I really would be hard-pressed in a blind tasting to be able to tell the difference between quite a few of them, but they all are delicious. I am a complete convert to Japanese teas now, the ones from China sit forlornly in my pantry and considering how much more economical the Japanese teas are…thats a good thing. This tea is bright green, sweet vegetables with no bitterness. It will be another I buy regularly.

I will have to add an additional tasting note to this since I mixed it with the last of my Genmaicha Extra Green (GEG), but from what I can tell, I like this even better than GEG. It smells like popcorn and vegetables in your cup, tastes like a very soothing, delicious, buttery mix of bancha, vegetable broth, and rice. The second steep was not quite as strong, but still worth the second go. Definitely a repurchase and since the sale ends on Halloween will be ordering in the next few days.

One of the first ones I have had from Den’s that I don’t particularly care to buy again. Its taste is like a cross between sencha and the bancha suruga, it is not bad, but the taste was just a little too “strong”. Worth a try if you’ve never had it before because the taste is so unique it is hard for me to describe….almost a vegetable broth, but not quite. Definitely full of taste and caffeine.

Despite the in-depth description, the nuances of this tea were wasted on me. I like the tastes of the Wuyi Oolongs, but to me, it just doesn’t excite my palate or interest me in the way a good TGY oolong or Japanese green does. I know I am comparing apples and oranges…and I am voicing my lack of excitment for “oranges”. :) The only tastes I could glean were minerally, slightly buttery, but weak. I only did 2 steepings and decided I’d try something else.

Tried this in my brand new gaiwan that I just received yesterday from Jings Tea Shop. Much lighter than the mainland oolongs I have been drinking lately. Actually smells and taste lemony-sweet on the finish as do the leaves after the first steeping. Other than that, I just can’t get into these type of teas. Just too “light” for me. Maybe I should have prepared it in the Yixing? Oh well…sample is gone now.

One of a group of 4-5 rock oolongs I received in a sample pack from Seven Cups. Actually, this one was quite flavorful considering it was only about $6.00 an ounce or so on the website. Very strong roasted, yet aromatic bouquet, and a stronger flavor than the other rock oolongs I have tried so far. It really tastes like a Darjeeling almost. One of the few so far I might consider repurchasing since it is inexpensive and fairly tasty. Good for more than one steep too. Long finish with buttery notes.

I used 3 teaspons for 9-10 ounces water, which is approximately what Den’s called for in the instructions. Incredibly sweet stuff. I have had Gyokuru before from other vendors, but nothing this powerful. Smells like the sea and freshly mowed fields. The liqour is greenish yellow and cloudy. It has a touch of umami, but an amazing blast of sweetness too. Thick on the tongue, but with no astringency. Each sip from the first steep was really a pleasure. I did a second steep at 180F for 30 seconds. This steep was about the same color, but I could taste some bitter, probably due to the higher water temperature. Still has a thick mouthfeel (I like that word) and a sweetness though that make it worth the second steep. Strangely, on sips of the second steep, I could taste almost a minty-ness at the end of the swallow. An interesting tea that I shall purchase again, but sparingly, since you do use a lot per serving and it is fairly expensive.

My first try of Kukicha! I got my huge Den’s delivery yesterday and wanted to see what their second best seller was all about. I was amazed at the appearance of the leaf, so many little pieces of stem…looks just like the picture. Hit three teaspons with about 8-10 ounces of 180F water (my Zojirushi has a 175 setting and Den’s calls for 180 normally I just call it even and hit it with 175, but if it is just coming down from its dechlorination boil I can catch it). Smells like a Sencha, but the taste is surprising. Absolutely none of the bitter afterkick you often get with senchas. Nutty (I am guessing from the roasting), vegetable mix, but without the bite you often get with a sencha. Definitely a re-order, in fact I like it better than their best-seller, Fuka-midori, and am sorry I only ordered 2 ounces. Steeped it a second time at boiling like the directions say – this is where I would say the tea has one drawback – it has very little of the original flavor with the second steep. Watery —maybe the twigs are to blame? :)