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__Morgana__ drank Sakurambo Vert by Lupicia

1945 tasting notes

As a category, cherry green teas are in my personal pantheon of flavored greens. Jasmine will probably always and forever be no. 1, and I like a good grapefruit green, too. But it’s really a toss up where cherry fits in. I want to say second, but I worry that the minute I say that something will change my mind. Let’s say top 3-ish?

This one has a strong, medicinal cherry smell in the tin, but after steeping it is much mellower and more subtle. The tea is pale yellow and clear, with a tinge of green.

I was a little worried because someone else compared this to Kotobuki, which I didn’t care for. But I like how this tastes. In any case, I like it better than the Kotobuki.

I’ve had some cherry green teas that were sweeter, and I think on balance I prefer a little more sweetness. But there’s a place for a cherry that’s not really sweet but still captures the essence of cherry. I don’t find this tart or bitter at all. Just not sweet.

Which makes it interesting. As we head in to winter, I don’t think this is the best seasonal choice - it’s spring-like and refreshing - but if I don’t run out of green tea before spring I’ll try to hold onto it until then when it will hit the spot.

Flavors: Cherry

Preparation

175 °F / 79 °C 1 min, 30 sec 2 tsp 17 OZ / 500 ML

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I got obsessed with tea in 2010 for a while, then other things intruded, then I cycled back to it. I seem to be continuing that in for a while, out for a while cycle. I have a short attention span, but no shortage of tea.

I’m a mom, writer, gamer, lawyer, reader, runner, traveler, and enjoyer of life, literature, art, music, thought and kindness, in no particular order. I write fantasy and science fiction under the name J. J. Roth.

Personal biases: I drink tea without additives. If a tea needs milk or sugar to improve its flavor, its unlikely I’ll rate it high. The exception is chai, which I drink with milk/sugar or substitute. Rooibos and honeybush were my gateway drugs, but as my tastes developed they became less appealing — I still enjoy nicely done blends. I do not mix well with tulsi or yerba mate, and savory teas are more often a miss than a hit with me. I used to hate hibiscus, but I’ve turned that corner. Licorice, not so much.

Since I find others’ rating legends helpful, I added my own. But I don’t really find myself hating most things I try.

I try to rate teas in relation to others of the same type, for example, Earl Greys against other Earl Greys. But if a tea rates very high with me, it’s a stand out against all other teas I’ve tried.

95-100 A once in a lifetime experience; the best there is

90-94 Excellent; first rate; top notch; really terrific; will definitely buy more

80-89 Very good; will likely buy more

70-79 Good; would enjoy again, might buy again

60-69 Okay; wouldn’t pass up if offered, but likely won’t buy again

Below 60 Meh, so-so, iffy, or ick. The lower the number, the closer to ick.

I don’t swap. It’s nothing personal, it’s just that I have way more tea than any one person needs and am not lacking for new things to try. Also, I have way too much going on already in daily life and the additional commitment to get packages to people adds to my already high stress level. (Maybe it shouldn’t, but it does.)

That said, I enjoy reading folks’ notes, talking about what I drink, and getting to “know” people virtually here on Steepster so I can get ideas of other things I might want to try if I can ever again justify buying more tea. I also like keeping track of what I drink and what I thought about it.

My current process for tea note generation is described in my note on this tea: https://steepster.com/teas/mariage-freres/6990-the-des-impressionnistes