Aiya

This is the first matcha I have tried, I was prepared for a horrible taste after reading about matcha in general but was pleasantly surprised. I drink this almost every day and am loving the energy it is giving me after I drink it. The only problem I have is that I have to order online to get it, would like to compare it’s taste to the Teavana brand.

Backlog:

To my knowledge, this Konacha from Aiya is the first Konacha that I’ve tried. The dry leaf is very finely chopped (not surprising, the description tells me to expect dust). It brews up light yet bright green.

It tastes a bit like a gyokuro, again, not surprising, since this is made from gyokuro dust. Sweet, brothy, and enjoyable. A nice tea to have around if you’re big on gyokuro but can’t afford to drink it everyday.

Here’s my full-length review: http://sororiteasisters.com/2013/11/04/konacha-green-tea-from-aiya/

Thanks, Nicole_Martin, for sample of this tea!
This week my taste buds have changed due to the snow and cold weather.
I chose this as the first tea of the day.
Like all Sencha’s – this one tastes great.
No sugar, sweeteners or milk needed.
This has a robust flavor, deep aroma, and dark green appearance.
www.aiya-america.com
K-Kosher sign on the foil package.

Backlog:

A really delightful Kukicha. The flavor is not quite as vegetative as the aroma might suggest. It has a light, sweet, nutty flavor, with hints of vegetation. The vegatal notes are more savory than sweet, which offers a compelling contrast to the sweet nutty tones. Really nice texture.

Aiya is definitely one of my favorite tea companies because they consistently offer high quality products.

Here’s my full-length review: http://sororiteasisters.com/2013/09/13/kukicha-green-tea-from-aiya/

Backlog:

This is a slightly different-than-I-was-expecting sort of Sencha. A lighter grassy tone here than in a typical Japanese Sencha. A delicious hint of toasty-ness in the aroma of the brewed tea that I really liked. Warm, nutty tones to the cup.

This is sweet, but toward mid-sip, there is a savory tone that is almost broth-like. Slightly salty, even.

Here’s my full-length review of this tea: http://sororiteasisters.com/2013/06/28/deep-steam-sencha-green-tea-from-aiya/

Backlog:

I love Aiya’s products because they always live up to the quality that I expect from this company … always top-notch.

This was such a fresh … delightful Sencha! I could smell the freshness when I opened the tin. Sweet, luscious, slight kelp-y note, nice vegetative taste.

Here’s my full-length review: http://sororiteasisters.com/2013/05/18/premium-sencha-green-tea-from-aiya/

This one is a very special green tea from TeaBoxB! The leaves are the darkest green I’ve seen and very wiry, tightly twisted. Water cooled, two minute steep and this is the sort of green tea I’m talking about it. It’s creamy creamy with something vegetal I can’t place (the specific vegetable I can’t tell… but so so good) and hints of something fruity (maybe peach)? The flavor is so lingering… probably the best green tea I’ve had!

iced green tea latte, without sugar, is my all-time favourite

Deep Steam Sencha! Yay! I appreciate the fact they took the time to steam this longer than your usual sencha. It comes thru in the flavor, aroma, and to the naked eye! It’s vegetal, but sweet. It’s fairly creamy and quite clean tasting. Pretty brothy. Slightly Peppery. I like it!

Backlog:

Having previously tried their Organic Matcha Infused Genmaicha, I was pretty sure I’d enjoy this conventionally grown Matcha Infused Genmaicha from Aiya. Since it’s been about a year since I last had the Organic variety, I don’t know that I could adequately provide an accurate comparison between the two teas. But I enjoyed this one … and I enjoyed the Organic as well.

To tell the truth, I enjoy everything I taste from Aiya because they’re synonymous with high quality Japanese teas. I’ve not found anything that I’ve been less than impressed with from them.

Here is my full-length review of this tea: http://sororiteasisters.com/2013/04/01/matcha-infused-genmaicha-green-tea-from-aiya/

Go-to Sencha? Perhaps! Backlogging…see other notes!

This has been my go-to Green tea the last month or so! It’s so incredibly clean that I can’t help but go back to it time and time again! It has natural citrus notes as well as a sweet touch of nut. This is SOLID!

Backlog:

I love Aiya. They’re really a great company – and they provide some of the finest Japanese teas available. I have never been disappointed by a tea from them. They’re always fresh, always amazing.

This Japanese Sencha is no exception – fresh, vegetative, and so lovely to sip.

Here’s my full-length review of it: http://sororiteasisters.com/2013/03/17/organic-sencha-green-tea-from-aiya/

Full review will be on http://sororiteasisters.com/ tomorrow, May 22nd at 6pm Central but here are the snippets:

The best way that I can describe Premium Sencha from Aiya is fresh delicious perfection. I have sat here with this cup so immersed in it, just allowing myself to become a part of it, and it is just the freshest sensational cup of tea ever. There is a nutty sweetness with just a slight astringency that gives it almost a citrus like zest. The left over flavor on the palate is lingering, nutty, and a little tart. Yes, you will find a grassy flavor in the tea, but it is not grassy like other green teas I have experienced, this tea is more like a seaweed with a slight saltiness, a vegetal flavor that is really special. The aroma is equally pleasing. I can only describe the aroma as something you would experience in a prairie meadow on a breezy, warm, summer’s day.

When I received my tin from Aiya I was really surprised to find that under the lid was a secondary sealed pull back lid. I was so excited and impressed I made my daughter and husband come look. Upon pulling off the sealed lid by the ring (like an older style soda can) and hearing the freshness seal open, with an airy sound, the aroma of the dry leaf was mesmerizing! The lead is dark green and almost shimmery silver looking. No wonder this is the freshest tasting sencha I have ever experienced!

If you have not tried a tea from Aiya please do yourself a favor and get yourself some right away! You won’t be disappointed in their teas.

Full review will post on Sororitea Sisters on the 27th but here are my snippits:

I feel very centered and balanced when I sip this tea, and it makes me feel like I am doing something really wonderful for my body, and mind. Gyokuro is known for its balance of sweet and bitter, even when steeped properly there is a slight astringency in the sip. Yet, it is sweet as well, which brings this perfect harmony to the cup. Its the perfect balance indeed.

There is just something special about Japanese Green Tea, something that only high quality companies that have high standards can bring us as tea lovers. Aiya brings us some of the best examples of excellent Japanese Green Tea.

Full Review will be on http://sororiteasisters.com/ on the 20th but here are my snippits:

I found this cup to have a nutty appeal, grassy of course, and just a slight seaweed flavor. While also vegetal, I find the vegetal notes to be somewhat tame.

This sencha also leaves a lovely floral essence on the palate. It is a surprising and delicious experience.

Had a cup of this before “lunch” which really only consisted of bean chips and nuts! LOL Regardless this was good!

When Aiya releases something new – it’s like a grand fanfare and rightfully-so! This is delightful! It’s light but flavorful – pleasant and beautiful – vegetal yet sweet – bold yet delicate. It’s quite clean and very impressive. It’s good for multiple infusions, too!

A lovely Gyokuro experience!

Love!

It tastes so sweet and beautiful … like the early days of spring! It has a strong vegetative tone, even though the overall cup is delicate, the vegetative tones stand out. It is somewhere between a lightly steamed spinach-y taste and that of kelp … but without the briny notes of the kelp. Sweet and green and lovely. One of the nicest Gyokuro teas I’ve yet to taste … it tastes so very clean and wonderful.

The leaves stand up well to multiple infusions as well … I’m on my second infusion now!

Sweet, frothy (when mixed with a real chasen), and tasty. It is a calming cup. Beautiful emerald green color. Don’t check email or read the paper when enjoying this, its like a relaxation ritual all on its own.

FANTASTIC!!!… I love this matcha. Aiya produces high quality matcha; it’s vegetal and grassy with just a hint of sweetness [a natural sweetness that comes from vegetables like carrots so that it is not cloying] to be enjoyable.

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this matcha.

I should probably start of by saying Matcha is my favorite tea, followed by oolongs and various blacks. Shortly after I found matcha, I began a search for the best ~$30 tin I could find. I have a bowl or two a day, so this task has taken a bit of time, as I finish a tin before I order another.
I have had Domatcha and Pure comparative grade matchas in addition to this. ( long way to go, I know ;) )

The tea:
Sifted and whisked at 175, it doesn’t froth for me much differently than the rest, good amount of small bubbles to cover the surface of the bowl. I do keep it in the fridge and I understand this lessens frothy-ness.
It tastes wonderfully of vegetal, grassy, underlying buttery and most importantly fresh. I find it to taste a lot like domatcha, and similar in color. It stays together and does not require re-whisking or have any chalky texture.
I love this matcha, it’s tasty, more vegetal than buttery but not unpleasantly strong. If I could afford it, an everyday drink for sure, and my current matcha winner!