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I normally like my green teas to have a strong flavor profile, but I have to admit I am impressed with this tea. Yes, it has a light body and very subtle flavor, but it is very good.

The aroma once infused is very floral, I can smell orchids and maybe a hint of jasmine, the flavor is reminiscent of a flower shop, if that makes any sense. The first infusion is quite aromatic but very delicately flavored, I normally use tap water but I had to use mineral water with this one because the flavor is so subtle tap water will definitely kill it.

The second infusion was, in my opinion, much better than the first one. The aroma of the second infusion was toned down and was not as strong as the first one, but the flavor was stronger and the floral flavors were very accessible, with a hint of sweet fruits I can’t quite pinpoint.

One thing to keep in mind is that this tea is quite finicky when it comes to brewing temperature, leaf quantity, and time. Teavana’s steeping parameters (175 degrees for 45 seconds) simply did not work out for me, the tea came out tasteless. The way I thought worked best was:
1st infusion: 180 degrees for 3 minutes
2nd infusion: 180 degrees for 5 minutes
I also used 2 heaping teaspoons per 8 ounces, which brings me to the next point: price.
This tea is quite pricey; at 10 USD per ounce it is not something I’d buy by the pound. It is totally worth every penny, but I think 2 ounces now and then will do the trick for me.

I will definitely buy again.

I’d say this tea ranks better than other senchas in its price range or even more expensive. I have tried many other senchas, some more expensive than this one, and none are this good. I have, mostly, been a Chinese tea drinker who, somewhat recently, started experimenting with Japanese greens, and after trying this one I have to say I am leaning more towards the Japanese greens.

As soon as I opened the pouch I was greeted by shiny, bright green leaves and a very noticeable floral smell. I’ve been brewing this tea as suggested by Den’s and both infusions are outstanding, no loss of flavor. The tea tastes very well, a full body cup with just the right amount of bitterness. There are very noticeable hints of pine, and the scent is fresh with that characteristic pungent “seaweedy” scent I’ve come to expect from sencha.

I’ve been referred to Den’s tea several times for the best Japanese green available in the U.S. and I was being stubborn. Now that I tried their most basic sencha and was blown away by its quality I have to say I’m converted. Definitely worth each penny and I may be buying it by the pound soon, but first I want to experiment with the other sencha teas from Den and finish up a lot of teas in my cupboard because I have no room.

I’m mainly a green tea drinker but this was good. Not good enough to buy again but good enough to finish what I bought and move on. I didn’t get the wine notes some have described, rather a simple black tea. I have to admit the aroma is quite unique and pleasant, but when it comes to black tea I’d rather stick with Assam.

I am quite surprised at how good this tea is. I picked up a 7 ounce tin at a local store for 8 dollars and wasn’t expecting much. Tastes just as good as more expensive versions I’ve tried and at a fraction of the cost. It has the usual caramel and fig undertones this type of tea offers and re-steeps well. In a gaiwan the 2nd infusion is the best (the 3rd if you count the rinse).

Nice and basic every day sencha. Lacks the pungent “sea weedy” aroma I enjoy from other Japanese greens.

Good sencha with enough of the boldness, grassiness, and that “seaweedy” pungency I’ve come to expect from this type of tea. Not overly priced either, I paid 9 bucks for 2oz. at a brick and mortar store.

I drink matcha on rare occasions and never by itself, I mostly use it to mix in small amounts with sencha when I want something different or (in even rarer occasions) make a matcha latte.

Definitely not a bad matcha. It is a little harder to mix that other versions I’ve had but not too bad. I do think, however, that Tevanna’s is fairly overpriced.

I’m sure some will disagree with me, but it is hard to find a high quality japanese green in the U.S. Not that there aren’t any available, but they are available through very few vendors at prices that can be, sometimes, prohibitive. All that is perfectly understandable since Japan has a very high consumption of tea and most of what we get is the little bit that “escapes.”

The Yamamotoyama teas are quite good, what you’d call an everyday. Not that they’ll replace a high grade gyokuro, for instance, but you don’t necessarily drink a high grade gyokuro by the teapot on a daily basis due to cost.

This Genmaicha, in the loose form, is quite good, actually as good or better than other more expensive versions I’ve had from Adagio. A big plus is that it is locally available at many asian grocery stores and priced as an everyday tea.

I guess what I’m trying to say is this: I will gladly indulge in a cup of top grade tea as often as my budget permits, which is not every day. For the everyday pot the Yamamotoyama products are quite good at a fraction of the price other vendors sell VERY similar offerings.

I really like smoky flavors and was excited to receive this but it was not at all what I was expecting. The smoky/pine flavor was very faint and almost unnoticeable. The predominant flavor was a harmony of pork chops, barbecue sauce and iodine. While some teas have failed to impress me, this is the very first time I thoroughly dislike one. I can’t even finish what I have and some co workers who drink tea don’t want it, after taking a whiff at the pouch they say “no thanks.”

Found this at my local grocer so I gave it a try. I liked it, it was very tangy and the dominant flavor is of lemongrass. I can see why others would think it tastes too medicinal but it is not unpleasant at all. I would pick this up again, nice every now and then.