One of the first Japanese green teas I’ve ever tried was Adagio’s Sencha Overture. For those of you that drink Sencha you know that distinct vegetally sweet flavor that is everlasting. The dark green, thin, dried tea leaves are full of flavor and antioxidants. If you are new to green tea or you want to start drinking real tea that doesn’t taste like a flower, fruit or candy - give this a try. Yes, the first time I drank Sencha, it reminded me of a mix of seaweed and vitamins. After the initial shock, I started to appreciate the grassy flavor mixed with sweet and nutty notes. Adagio’s Sencha Overture is an affordable everyday green tea that is havested during the second flush. The tea comes from the Shizuoka region of Japan.  It’s important not to over steep Sencha.  Adagio recommends a 3 minute steeping time with a water temperature of 180 degrees.  You may need to experiment with your steeping equipment to find your desired flavor.

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There’s just nothing better than sitting down with a pot of hot water, your favorite steeping pot, and a good Oolong. What a way to pass the time. Many Oolongs can and should be steeped multiple times. Each steeping reveals a hidden layer of this beautifully crafted tea. Due to its processing, Oolong is not quite a black tea and its not quite a green tea (referring to Oolongs oxidation period - it’s in between green and black). Having said that, there are many Oolongs that closer resemble either a black or green tea. Typically, I’m looking for a fresh and inviting aroma coming from the tea. I often imagine that the aroma coming from the pot is similar to the air in the Wuyi Mountains. This Oolong has long dried leaves that are almost black in color. When the tea is steeped, the leaves do reveal a touch of green. The liquor is very light in color. The flavor is very mild. I didn’t detect the intense freshness or floral hints that I desire from an Oolong. All-in-all, this Oolong lacks the characteristics of my favorite Oolongs. I steeped the tea several ways to make sure that I wasn’t doing something wrong. I just couldn’t get the flavor I desired out of the leaves. If you are looking for a lighter flavored Oolong, this might be perfect for you. Be careful not to steep the tea in water that is too hot. I let the water cool to around 200 degrees before steeping the Oolong. When you get it just right, the tea is enjoyable. It’s just not as good as many other choices.

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The wonderland of tea…the great Yunnan region of China. I’ll never forget the first time I tried a lush loose leaf Yunnan tea. The flavor was very intense, and you instantly realize you are drinking something special. The dried leaves display a bright golden color. Unlike many black teas, the dried leaves are soft and flexible. I have to describe the tea as oceanic in scent and flavor with a slight peppery accent. When I really try to simplify the complex flavors of this tea, it comes down to salt and pepper. Maybe not literally, but the tea is very unique and flavorful. When I inhale the steam rising from the glass, I’m reminded of an ocean breeze (hence my “salt” description). This tea is an affordable Yunnan tea that will not disappoint you. I prefer Adagio’s Golden Monkey and Yunnan Gold, but this tea is certainly worth a shot at your attention. If you like it, you can save a few dollars. The tea is really easy to steep. I just let the water sit for a minute or two after it comes to a boil. I’ve steeped the tea in a clay Yixing tea pot and in my ingenuiTEA for about 3-5 minutes - either way it’s good.

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marTEA.com was started out of my interest for both technology and tea. During the creation of marTEA.com, I found a lot of inspiration from sites like digg.com. Digg is a social bookmarking website that has caught major attention around the world. Digg would not exist, at least not in its current popularity, without co-founder Kevin Rose and the faithful digg community. I’ve been listening to Kevin’s popular podcast called Diggnation for years. In fact, Kevin and co-host Alex Albrecht took a week off of their normal beer drinking to recover from a trip to Japan and drank Adagio tea for an episode in 2005. If you know the show, there’s a lot of beer drinking that tends to take its toll on the hosts. Anyway, that episode inspired me to combine the two things that interest me - technology and tea. I actually purchased the Digg themed Adagio tea samples in early 2006. As a tribute to Kevin and digg, I’ve included a “Digg This” link with every story I post. marTEA.com would like to continue its dedication to all things tea by allowing the digg community to promote tea related news and reviews. If you want to try some of the tea blends that Kevin and Alex have been drinking in their recent shows visit adagio.com/diggnation.

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Golden Monkey is a hand-processed black tea from the Fujian Province of China. The dried leaves are said to resemble monkey claws, which is how the name was derived (use your imagination). The tea has a very rustic appearance and flavor about it. It is full-bodied and yields an amber liquor. I’ve been steeping the tea in a Yixing clay teapot, and paying close attention to the aroma by using an aroma cup. I’m amazed how sweet the liquor smells from a fresh pour. That said, it has a rougher flavor to it. Since the scent of the brewed tea is sweet and the flavor is mellow with a dry aftertaste, it makes for a very complex black tea. In fact, it has a lot of the same flavor characteristics of a white tea from the Fujian Province. Golden Monkey is not necessarily one of my favorites, but it is very enjoyable on an occasional basis. One area that this tea really lacks is in the presentation of the tea leaves after the tea has been steeped. As you start to enjoy loose leaf tea, you start to appreciate the beauty of the tea leaves once they spring to life during the steeping process. This tea never really takes on an impressive characteristic after it is steeped. I cannot pick out the single leaf and bud that is described by Adagio.

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As I drink a special Valentine’s Day blend from Adagio.com, I would like to say happy Valentine’s Day to all the marTEA blog readers. The blend I’m drinking tonight is actually very flavorful. It’s suppose to represent a chocolate-covered strawberry. I have to say, it’s not bad. Since I’m still getting over a sore throat, I added a little honey to it, which made it even better. This is just one of those flavored black teas that is great to have around when you want a little variety with your tea drinking.

Well, I hope your day is special. I can’t wait to have a Valentine’s dinner tonight with my family. My sweet wife bought me some tea for Valentine’s Day. You know you have a serious tea problem when every gift you get is tea related and you love it. Anyway, I’m very thankful to have such a great wife and family that makes everyday special.

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Gyokuro is one of the finest green teas to come from Japan. It is expensive, but it is well-worth the extra money. Gyokuro embodies all of the unique properties that makes green tea special to me. In my opinion, Gyokuro puts the “green” in green tea. This tea is for people that crave a vegetal flavor from their green tea. It all starts by protecting the tender buds from the sun about three weeks before harvesting. So, just imagine a field of tea bushes covered by straw screens to slow photosynthesis. Who’s the genius that thought of this? So many great harvesting and production techniques are created by observant farmers (accidents with a tasty outcome). Many of the famous Japanese teas have a unique characteristic that adds to the popularity of Japanese green tea. Anyway, it’s early spring and the young tea buds are artificially shaded and carefully picked during the first flush. The small leaves contain more chlorophyll than normal because they’ve been shaded from the sun for several days. Now you see why this tea is g-r-e-e-n. After the tea is picked it goes through a rigorous production process. The finest processed leaves are selected for Gyokuro.

If you have tried Gyokuro, you know the heavenly scent that lingers from the dried leaves. Although the leaves are small, you can get a feel for just how much moisture the leaves held under the shade by rolling them around in your fingers. I find myself popping the lid off of the tea tin just to inhale the aroma of the tea. It’s literally a breath of fresh air. Now, since I paid a lot for the tea I’m careful during the steeping process. I start with water that is well below a boil. Maybe about 130 degrees. The first steeping gets the tiny needle-like leaves to open, which only takes a couple of minutes. The second steeping can be much shorter since the leaves are already open. To me, it’s all about feel and taste. Even when I’m impatient and the water is too hot, this tea is a treat. Make it the way you like it…this ain’t rocket science. Just don’t scorch the tea with boiling water or let it steep too long.

Let’s talk flavor…as I mentioned this tea is g-r-e-e-n. If you are the one that picks their vegetables off their plate, you’re not going to like this. The tea has a very juicy vegetal flavor. Due to its growing environment, Gyokuro’s tannin level is much lower than other green teas; therefore, it is not a bitter tea. The tea is so smooth and pure. The vegetal flavor is so inviting. The tea also has a slight bite to it - an almost spice like quality about it. The liquor is a pale green color. I highly recommend this tea to anyone wanting to try a high-grade green tea or simply want to try an excellent Japanese green tea. The Gyokuro I’m drinking this week is from Adagio.

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Blogging about all things tea has been a complete joy. That said, as I experience a wide range of tea related products, I don’t always have time to enjoy my favorites. In fact, I’m not sure I could even create a top five list at this point. I have a lifetime of tea drinking to go and a ton to learn before I can call something my favorite. I like teas that come from countries and regions where tea has defined the culture and the culture has defined the tea. Ceylon definitely fits that mold in my opinion.

“Ceylon Sonata” is one of the highest rated teas among Adagio tea drinkers. Adagio’s Ceylon Sonata comes from the Kenilworth estate, located in Sri Lanka’s Kandy region. The tea estate is situated in the foothills of Sri Lanka’s western slopes. The island nation made tea their main crop in the 1870s. Fast forward to 2007, and tea drinkers all over the world are still enjoying their tea. In fact, some might like it so much they sit at their computers and blog about it…The dried leaves are dark in color and thin in shape due to their orthodox production processes. I detect an almost pepper-like scent to the dried tea leaves. My wife thinks it has more of a sweet scent to it. Either way, it’s a pleasure to drink. It’s just smooth and well-rounded. You’re not going to be blown away with exotic flavors. It’s just simply delicious, and that’s enough for me. If you are looking for a black tea to drink in the morning or afternoon, Ceylon is perfect. I steep the tea in water just below the boiling point for about 4 minutes.

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