Mellow Monk

‘Samurai’ Traveling Teabox – Tea #15
One of those green teas that looks like lawn clippings!  Always appealing to this tea fiend.  It’s pleasant to have a refreshing green tea once in a while.  I don’t have them often enough.  The flavor here is lovely and delicate.  The second steep somehow tasted like mango and I know there wasn’t any flavor contamination on a second steep.  This type sometimes tastes fruity to me but I can never tell WHICH fruit.  Earthier on the second steep but also a creamy element.
Steep #1  // 1 teaspoon for full mug // 43 minutes after boiling  // 1 minute steep
Steep #2  // 46 minutes after boiling //  2 min steep

I’m actually pretty excited to try this green tea. I was going through some of my green tea stash to share some for work and this is one I chose. My coworkers thought it smelled floral, like potpourri, but I am getting more of a roasted aroma. No honey today. And gladly, it’s not bitter! Maybe there’s hope for me and green tea yet!

Second Steep
6 ounces water + 1 minute

Lighter but still with some flavor. Probably won’t try for a third cup.

Sipdown!

Massive cleaning.laundry day today. I feel like green tea always pairs perfectly with getting stuff done, I’ve been so productive today!

Another old tea, the color isn’t as green as I would have expected it to be and I know it’s because of the age of this. 100% regret the fact that I didn’t drink this when I got it!

Even though it’s old, it still tastes delicious. The flavors are a bit muted but I can tell that it’s there. Had it been a fresh batch of tea, I know it would have been delicious!

Very nice. Ages very well (2+ years).

Broth, Butternut Squash, Creamy, Grass, Lemon, Seaweed, Spinach, Sweet.
Ages very well (2+ years).

Opening the package brings a smell of green tea and roast.

1st Steep: The first steep has a light taste of green wood and roast. Very weak

2nd Steep: The green woody taste turns into grass and gets a lot stronger leaving a dry feeling in the mouth.

After that nothing big changes. Started turning bitter around steep 6. I don’t have a strong opinion either way. If it sounds good to you, try it.

Another genmaicha to check off the bucket list. This was a nice one, though not one I NEED to restock over other genmaicha blends that are more easily accessible. Check out my full review (an my sister’s rather extra color description) here: http://sororiteasisters.com/2017/08/26/harmony-tea-from-mellow-monk-2/

This tea doesn’t taste quite like any sencha I’ve ever had, but it’s still undeniably a sencha—and a really tasty one, at that. The flavors are sometimes subtle, but still very clear. The tea is earthy, rich, and vegetal, with a hint of sweetness, a bit of umami, and a little bit of a nutty flavor and smell, which was a nice surprise. In addition, it seems like a pretty easy brew; I’ve only had it for a couple days, but it doesn’t seem nearly as finicky as some sencha can be, and I’ve been able to get its good flavor consistently.

Part of the reason I rated this so highly is the value. I find that inexpensive sencha can be murky, with the subtlety replaced by a lack of real flavor; this is not the case here. I’ve moved from Chinese greens to Japanese greens, so I tend to drink sencha every work day, and had been looking for something not too expensive but still good. I was pretty disappointed by the Daily Sencha from O-cha, so I decided to give this one a try. For $10 for 100 grams, it’s an incredibly complex and rich tea, comparable in quality to many teas that would cost $17 or more for the same amount. I’d highly recommend it as a daily drinker; without a doubt, it has the best quality-to-price ratio I’ve ever seen in a sencha.

If this is what Mellow Monk offers as its least expensive tea, I’m very excited to try some of the pricer ones on special occasions!

I’ve been looking for a good daily “sencha”, and I think I found one. The leaf is primarily straight; however, I note some curls within the bunch. The green tea gives off an amazing umami scent with some nice seaweed, milky creaminess, and vegetal base. I can also hint at the slightest honey sweetness on top. I grabbed my kyusu and began my brewing. The directions tell for light brewing, so I hit it at somewhere around 176F. The brew is delightfully jade green with smooth deep grassy notes. My mouth fills with umami and a nourishing green bean base. The brew is smooth with a slight dryness alike dandelion. I enjoy this tea, and I can drink multiple pots in one sitting.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BTT3hHBgR1f/?taken-by=haveteawilltravel&hl=en

https://www.instagram.com/p/BTY_84cAoV_/?taken-by=haveteawilltravel&hl=en

This is my first dive into Japanese teas, and I can say that I am quite pleased! I was looking around for a good genmaicha, which I often see served in Japanese restaurants. Then I found Mellow Monk’s genmaicha, Harmony.

When I initially opened the bag I was welcomed with the pleasant scent of fresh green tea and a roasty scent similar to popcorn kernels. The smell is amazing. At first, I had been too careless when preparing this tea and ended up making the water too hot. The flavor was strong and bitter. That was my fault. Then I prepared the tea once more, but I heated the water to a lower temperature and steeped it at the same time.

Perfect!! It has the right amount of nuttiness and has a deep grassy flavor to it. Reminds me of ochazuke. It is very comforting and hearty to drink around this time of year since it’s cold outside. I would drink this tea along with sushi or wagashi. I can’t wait to try Top Leaf and Monk’s Choice when they come in.

I really love this tea. From the moment you open the bag, it’s a great experience (it smells wonderful). I’ve become a big fan of Japanese green teas, and as I don’t have loads of disposable income, I’m always looking for a Japanese-style green that is a great bang-for-your-buck buy. Of the maybe 15-20 Japanese-style teas I’ve tried, this is one definitely has the best price-to-quality ratio for me. Highly recommended for anyone that wants a tasty fukamushi tea without breaking the bank!

I made an account at steepster just to review this tea!

(Also, worth noting — Steepster says the tea is unavailable but that’s not right!)

I’m a big fan of Mellow Monk, but this tea underwhelmed me. I have read the accolades it has received, and have what I believe to be a decent tea tasting palate, but it just didn’t do it for me. Not to say it is bad, it certainly isn’t, but it just isn’t nearly as good as everyone says. Sweet, round, and vegetable flavors coat your mouth.

Shaded Leaf has consistently been my go-to. Very soft, sweet, and grassy, it is the quintessential Gyokuro. Has gone down in quality over the years, likely due to the soil, but it still easily one of the best on the market. Very easy to get tea drunk on. Batch from 2013 was maybe one of the best teas I’ve ever had.

Excellent tea. It has an intense green color that I have not seen in other teas of its kind. The smell is quite refreshing as well. It may be expensive, but well worth its price. The flavor is subtle and very appealing. It induces a feeling of relaxation in me, just like the other mellow monk tea I’ve tasted, Monk’s Choice.

It is my impression that to enjoy teas such as this one, you need to have a good brewing method, and if you truly want to enjoy it, avoid drinking it while doing something else (such as using your computer or watching TV), otherwise you may not experience the full flavor of the tea. It is a tea that demands attention, like classical music. Otherwise, you would be wasting money on it, and you would be better off with a more affordable option picked up from a market stall.

If you can afford 15 minute tea breaks on your day to day life, I highly recommend this tea.

It has a subtle and calming flavor. Very different from your typical green tea bought at a supermarket. Great every day tea. It is steamed so it does not have that distasteful oily note typical of pan fried Chinese green teas. That note is so overwhelming for my palate that all Chinese teas basically taste the same to me. That is why I think Japanese green teas are the best. This particular tea has a strong scent so it gives me the impression that it is very fresh, or at least fresher than all other teas I have tasted before.

For these kinds of teas, intensity of taste or richness of flavor will depend on how you steep the tea. Make sure to have a good brewing method, so you can make the most of affordable and well manufactured teas such as this one. Follow the instructions in the package first and experiment what tastes best for you.

Bonus:
I noticed that the region in which it grows was far away from the areas affected by radioactive fallout from the Fukushima incident such as mid and northern japan, and is not an area affected by heavy pollution such as China. I feel safer buying tea from them because of that.

I originally found out about Mellow Monk Teas from the North American Tea Championships and their 2013 award for their wonderful Shaded Leaf green tea(my absolute favorite green tea). The company is absolutely amazing, all of their teas are first flush pickings(isn’t that ridiculous??!!!) and you can seriously taste that they are! All of their teas are grown in the best soil from Kumamoto Japan are small batch harvests.

After sadly finishing my last bag of Shaded Leaf I decided to try something new from Mellow Monk. The flavor notes they listed on their website for Blissful Buds was intriguing and after seeing I immediately bought it.

I received my tea and brewed up a nice cup of Blissful Buds. As I opened the bag I was hit with a sweet herbaceous smell. I put 1.5 teaspoons in my 165 degree water and brewed for exactly 1 minute and 30 seconds. The smell of the tea is light and similar to the stronger dry smell of the tea.

On the initial sip I was very pleased with the strong sweetly herbaceous taste. It is a fine green tea that pleases the taste buds! The hints of berry are definitely there but are much lighter than the herbaceous notes. The taste lingers long after the last sip with a very pleasing vegetal taste that is also very sweet. Made me want to mediate and left me in a very clear headed state!

A delicious tea indeed!! I would highly recommend this tea to someone who is already a fan of Mellow Monk teas but is craving a lightly sweet green tea. I would call Blissful Buds the younger half brother of Shaded Leaf, similar sweet berry hints, but Shaded Leaf is a lot more intense and very well rounded and extremely smooth, but also double the cost.

I think I received this in a swap from Cameron B. If yes, thanks so much!

Brewed in a shudei kyusu. Japanese green teas are so finicky for me and I was impatient today, so the temperature is rather high (I heat water in a saucepan), but each steep was only a few seconds long. I got good results.

The wet leaf smells delightfully of ripe persimmons. The liquor is dark neon green, thick, and full-bodied. A sweet and buttery feel with notes of squash, pumpkin, and a hint of clementine.

This is a sencha to drink after dinner – no bitterness or vegetables in this one!

Backlog:

I’ve not had a lot of Japanese black teas, but the few that I’ve had I’ve really enjoyed. So it was a real treat to have the opportunity to sample this Crimson Grove from Mellow Monk.

A tea with sweet and warm notes. Hints of smoke and nutmeg. Not an overly aggressive type of black tea, this isn’t the tea you’d want to turn to if you need a vigorous shake awake. Instead, this is the kind of tea to turn to when you want something cozy and contemplative.

Here’s my full-length review: http://sororiteasisters.com/2014/08/24/crimson-grove-black-tea-from-mellow-monk/

Thank you so much Cameron B for the sample! :D

I like to drink this type of green on the weekend when I am home where my kyusu is!

This is VERY nice buttery sweet green tea. Reminds me of gyokuro. Need I say more?

Backlog:

Mellow Monk is one of my favorite sources for top notch Japanese Teas. I’ve not been disappointed by anything that I’ve tried from them, and they carry one of my all-time favorite green teas. So, I was only too happy to try this Kuma Green 1228.

For my full-length review, please check out the blog: http://sororiteasisters.com/2014/10/30/kuma-green-1228-sencha-green-tea-from-mellow-monk/

A beautiful dry leaf. It looks a bit like freshly cut grass only much darker than any grass that I’ve ever seen. I’d love for my lawn to be this color. I’d be the envy of the neighborhood. It’s beautiful. The aroma is grassy with fruity notes.

A remarkable Japanese green: sweet, fruit (I tasted notes of apple, grape and melon with a hint of citrus toward the tail), not so much buttery as it is crisp and refreshing. Clean. Vegetal.

There are some savory notes but nothing that I’d call bitter. Just sweet with a savory note. Brothy. A hint of tart toward the tail from the citrus.

After a few sips, I start to pick up on a Jasmine note. Beautiful! A very satisfying and well-rounded cup of tea. Be sure to resteep this one, it’s well worth the effort. The second and third infusions were quite lovely. I little more vegetal than the first, but still very enjoyable.

Last night, my son came over for supper. He said pop make us some tea. I already had a bottle of Lipton Citrus Green Tea poured (he hates it). I told him I had this Just-Right Roast cold in my den fridge. I tried to explain it to him as different than he was used to drinking.

He poured a tall glass over ice. Took one drink, then said, “It tastes like the time I burned my rice.” I prefer to think of it as genmaicha like. Actually, I guess his reaction was kind of accurate for a first time with hojicha type tea. He added sugar and did finish his glass with the Parmesan chicken, broccoli, and mashed potatoes.

He was not impressed that it won first place three years in a row. I laughed under my breath.