Kirkland Signature

Ashmanra’s Sipdown Challenge | January 2023 | Your oldest green tea

I chuckled when I saw this prompt because I knew exactly which tea to use! My partner bought a massive box of this tea at Costco before we got together—so, probably a little over 12 years ago! I remember he still had a decent amount left when we moved in together, and then successively smaller quantities have moved with us through various cities and states. We had three bags pushed to the back of our tea chest (actually this really neat metal button/notions box his tailor great-grandfather used), so I dug them out today and finished them off.

As you’d expect, 12-year-old bagged green tea is not stellar. But! It’s also not bad. Just very weak and thin, without too much flavor beyond a slight grassiness. The funny thing about this tea is that you get an individually wrapped tea sachet, which you are instructed to steep for 30 seconds, but the little plastic packet also includes matcha powder, which you pour from the packet onto your tea. It’s an experience!

I’m obviously not going to rate this tea because it is absurdly old. But I appreciated the reminder to drink it down—and the reminder of how it entered my collection!

2023 sipdown count: 12/75

I generally leave one or two teas out for several hours. not on purpose, but it gives the tea a very harsh flavor (as expected). You would think that this green tea develops a metallic flavor when left out too long, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that it did not! It is very clearly a Japanese green tea; you could tell even without the box if you knew the difference. It is very smooth with everything about green tea a green tea lover would love (that was a mouthful)! We found a box of 100 bags for $13, for very good value as well. I have around 4 or 5 cups a day, and I must say it is nice not to have to resort to my dad’s Earl Greys.

And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. ❤️ And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.

Thank you Father for everything.

This really isn’t bad! I got this in bulk from Costco due to its low price, and it tastes alright. It does taste like green tea, and the citrus is certainly present. If you can’t taste the citrus, you’ll for sure feel it going down your throat. I think this tastes better out of the fridge than at room temp.

The Green Tea choice at Dean’s in Pleasanton, CA.

Bottom of the barrel indeed. There is almost more dust in here than leaves. And it tastes like it. There is a good green tea base in there, I can tell, but not much more than leftovers, scraps picked out after the good leaves have been used and sold as what they are.

Not surprising, coming from Costco. Leftovers from good green tea do not a good green tea make.

Yeah. Kirkland brand. I know some of their stuff is decent, even comparable to good.

But not this.

This is scraps. I opened the package the tea bag came in, and dust sprayed out. Dust. Quite a bit of it. There was even more in the bottom of the cup after pouring.

It was definitely left overs, the last of the last scraps from the bottom of the barrel after all the good stuff was used.

And it tasted like it as well. Bland, boring. Yeah, it tasted like Green Tea. Basically.

People, just spend a tiny bit more for a decent green tea. This is the bottom of the bottom.

I found this to be a very pleasant and light tea. The grassy flavor lingers for a short while after drinking.