Bamboo

OK, time for some tealess stuff now that it’s late. When I opened this tonight I was a little skeptical I’d like it—it really does just look like straight up unprocessed planty green tree leaves, needle-shaped and fluffy, hard to spoon out—figured it might be how non-tea people often dismiss tea as just tasting like some weak plant matter in hot water. Very surprised to find it steeps up a brilliant, almost glowing neon yellow-green color, and tastes quite sweet and clean, a bit like grapefruit. Really enjoying that Asian-y (which is to say fresh, not candied like Sweet Tarts) sweet-and-sour flavor. I could totally see drinking this any time of day when I want the bright sweetness of fresh-squeezed citrus juice but also something to warm and comfort me (making actual hot orange or grapefruit juice seems kinda gross, no?). There’s something else to the aroma that adds dimension too—I want to say kind of like hay or straw or alfalfa, hard to pin down. I imagine this’d be delicious paired with the right kinds of foods, dishes that call for something citrus-sparkling clean and sweet. Yum! Just call me the panda at the tea party ’cause I really dig this, ha.

I’ve had this one for so long and have been super afraid to try it. I thought tonight was a perfect time because I’m up cleaning the kitchen and wanted an herbal tea. But not the herbal teas with super flavors to them.
This one is actually reeeaaalllyyy good. It reminds me of a buttery vegetable green tea. It has a nice, full body and has no hint of bitterness. This one will surely be missed when it’s gone.

I got as a sample because it sounded interesting. The scent is certainly vegetal, and a little earthy. There is a sweet vegetal flavour. It is almost like a light green tea.

GCTTB Rd 3:

I was worried this would be over-the-top vegetal given the leaf but honestly it is just a smooth, slightly sweet, slightly vegetal drink. It is very, very subtle though and not something I would reach for often. It was fun to try though so thank you Lala.

I quite like bamboo teas. Of the teas I have tried so far, the bamboo leaves seems to be quite large. By that I mean, there were quite large cut up/chunked up pieces of light green leaf. This tea, however, looks quite different. It is very skinny, long, slender dark green leaf, look very similar to flattened out pine needles. There are quite a few bunches of leaves that are still attached to a stem.

This tea definitely has a bamboo taste. But there is also something else there. Something very deeply vegetal, deeply woody. I know this is strange but the first thing that came to my mind was beef boullion, but without the saltiness, I am also thinking popcorn – its a bit weird. There is a thick, buttery quality to the tea that is similar to other bamboo teas I have tried.

This one is ok. I am not sure if there are different types of bamboo, but I am assuming there are different parts of the plant. But This one is ok, not my favorite bamboo tea.