Zen

Starting off my Saturday morning with a cup of this before I head off to a much needed massage. At first sniff (pre and post) steeping all I can smell is the lemongrass. This isn’t a bad thing, just my first impressions of a tea I don’t think I’ve had, but then again maybe I have. The taste is pretty amazing with a perfect mix of minty and well something else. But it’s a great kick off to my day of relaxation.

Steep Information:
Amount: 1 teabag
Water: boiling, let sit 1 minute, 12 oz
Steep Time: a little over 1 minute (http://steep.it/)
Served: Hot

Tasting Notes:
Dry Leaf Smell: mint
Steeped Tea Smell: vegetal
Flavor: lemongrass, mint, vegetal
Body: Full
Aftertaste: mint
Liquor: translucent brown-green

not really exciting or delicious, a lemon-grassy green tea.

Rating: 2/4 leaves

Blog: http://amazonv.blogspot.com/2011/11/tazo-teabag-green-tea-zen.html

Ordered this at Starbucks this morning to have something warm to hold onto and sip on while walking around outside doing touristy things. I didn’t realize when ordering “green tea” that this had such a prominent lemongrass flavor. I don’t really like lemons or lemongrass in general, so I will not be reordering this again, but it was a nice hand warmer at the very least!

This tea is ok, but in no way notable. It’s green and it’s minty and that’s about it. Pretty mediocre for me.

Thanks for the taste moraiwe. Sipdown!

Could it really be? Is my palette getting more refined? I just bought a box of this, and for the first time, I am slightly disappointed with a green tea. Maybe I botched it — I used the hot nozzle on my work’s Sparkletts water cooler. Amateur? Yes. Easy? Fo’ sheezy. Maybe it’s because I’ve had loose tea, though I haven’t had it enough to know the difference for certain. Any ideas?

And is there ANY bagged tea that tastes as good as loose tea?

Regardless, my next purchase will be loose. My jeans may be tight and my women may be proper, but it’s looking like I prefer my tea loose. We’ll see.

Bagged
Aroma when Dry: Bright, lemony, slight mintiness
After water is first poured:. Light lemony minty fresh
At end of steep: fresh, bright mint
Tea liquor:
At end of steep: faint spring green
Staple? Yes, especially summer seasonal
Time of day preferred: Any
Taste:
first notes: bold green tea taste, hints of mint and lemony notes
As it cools? Notes flatten and blend a bit, green base notes get stronger, tea sweetens a bit.
Additives used (milk, honey, sugar etc)? No
Lingers? With Very faint mint
Good chilled too.

So apparently I’m on a bagged tea kick, since that’s all I really have time to brew at work. I bought a Tazo tea sampler, and this one was included. It was okay. Not anything to brag about, but not bad either. Had a very herby taste with suprisingly minimal green tea taste. It’s good to have in the cupboard, but not something you necessarily look forward to.

Another sample from friend/coworker.

I didn’t think I liked spearmint. I have now sampled 2 different teas on 2 different days with significant spearmint flavor, and found them both quite pleasant. Maybe what I don’t like is Wrigley’s Spearmint gum?

I can also taste something lemony but I can’t tell whether it’s the verbena or the “natural flavors.” It doesn’t seem like lemongrass to me.

I deliberately gave it a very brief steep and did not let the water boil. There’s only the barest hint of tea in the background.

I like this hot. Iced, I think it would need something else – maybe a little honey. I can see how it might grow bitter if it were steeped long enough to stand up to ice.

This tea strikes a balance between a nice green tea (nothing noteworthy, but definitely not a bad green) and a light, refreshing herbal tea.

The smell out of the bag is very grassy and minty. The recommended brewing time is 3 minutes — I tend to brew it two minutes or less, to keep the green tea from developing a more bitter taste and to keep the brew light and slightly watery (I don’t like heavy brews).

Overall, it reminds me of a Moroccan mint tea mixed with an herbal lemon verbena tea. The lemongrass adds a good citrusy flavor to round it out. This tea is a standby for me when I want something quick, light, easy to brew, and stimulating.

The main thing I don’t like about this blend is actually the name. Zen is a bit pretentious and cliche, and to trademark a tea name like Zen is just ridiculous.

Got two steepings from the mesh bags I put in my tumbler this morning for work. This is definitely a smooth spearmint flavor, with just enough lemon secondary notes to remind you that you’re not drinking liquid Wrigley’s gum. That’s not to say that the mint flavor is overwhelming, but I have a hard time distinguishing the green tea. Between Zen and Refresh, another of Tazo’s mint offerings, I believe Refresh is my preference.

But Zen would make an aMAZing iced tea for a warm weather treat. Make a strong infusion, squeeze a tad bit more lemon for balance, and you’re ready for ice!

I feel confident in suggesting that Zen is really trying to be more of a tisane than a tea.