Ocha & Co. Organic Gyokuro Green Tea – Shade Grown Japanese Loose Leaf Green Tea – Smooth Umami-Rich Aromatic Organic Green Tea from Japan, 100g/3.5oz.

I drink loose green tea alot (much better than tea bags in my opinion) but unfortunately I can only get Gunpowder which I think is grown in china or taiwan. As much as I like it I did want to try something else so off to the internet I went. I was a bit surprised by how many types of green teas there are so what was supposed to be a quick buy turned into a full on research project about green tea, companies and customer reviews (making me into somewhat of an amateur expert lol) and came to a final decision - that being I would like to try Sencha tea and that Ocha and Co seemed a good bet to buy from as it is a large company, the positive customer reviews and the pictures of the tea itself.I wasn't disappointed.Unlike Gunpower which is pan fired giving it a smokey type flavour and yellowish tinge this is steamed so you get more of that subtle green tea flavour. It is light and refreshing and has a lovely green colour. Sure it is more expensive but I think it is worth it as a treat on the weekend.The only negative thing I can say is that it took around 3 weeks to arrive hah. I think it may of actually been sent from japan lol.The way I prepare my green tea is with a beaten up old metal tea pot that has a spout cover with holes in it. It holds around 300ml. I put one teaspoon of green tea in the teapot then I add a splash of cold water to the tea leaves (like the amount you would add milk to ordinary tea) then pour in the boiling water. This usually gets the temperature just right (remember it's better it being cooler than too hot and having bitter tea). This is then poured down the drain straight away. It may be seem a waste but this washes dust etc off the leaves. It also helps get rid of chemicals off non organic teas. Apparently it is also supposed to 'wake up' the leaves for seeping. Then just fill up the teapot the same way again and leave for 30-40 secs and then drink as you go. I usually get a good whole mug and some more of green tea. More water can be added to the teapot after if wanted. I get a few bits come through but generally the leaves expand and don't come through plus adding to filter out the rest. Any that does will settle. The picture of the mug has bits in it though this was because I was playing around with the wet leaves deciding how to show you.Anyway....back to the review....5 starsUpdate.It does come straight from japan. And other times I have bought it it has come within the week.

Quality and the best tea - highly recommend

This tea is best sencha that I had, but expensive.

I have tried 100’s of green tea but the fresh flavour and doesn’t seem to be too high in caffeine hasn’t been beaten yet. Second purchase, tried whittards but was nowhere near as good as quality as this is.

Really strong green tea so it goes a long way not really to my taste hence 4 star rating

This is a really good tea, fresh and clean tasting. It has a distinctive smell to it, quite strong in the packet - a bit fruity perhaps? (I don't know the tea jargon!). After steeping, the leaves have a firm, springy texture to them, which I think might mean it's fresher than others I've tried, or perhaps younger/smaller leaf tips? (I eat the leaves after drinking the tea, so have noticed the difference). I'm not a tea connoisseur, so find it hard to explain, but this tea does stand out as different from the many other brands I've tried. Happy to find an organic tea at a decent price. The packaging is neat and stylish, easily resealed with a clip to keep the air out for freshness. I'll definitely try the others from the same range another time.

I guess when you go to Japan and try their green tea is always a revelation. It has nothing to do with the stuff you have been drinking at home. The flavour is stronger, grassy and leaves you very refreshed. So, since coming back from my trip to Japan I wanted to relieve my experience, and to my surprise it wasn't easy to find it, there aren't many shops selling the real stuff. There are many that sell Sencha but it's made in China and it's not the same, believe me, you straightaway notice it, it makes the water murky and not green as it should be. But I was lucky enough to find Ocha & Co. This is the second time I buy from them and I am happy to recommend it. The wait is worth it and it's also a guarantee that is not sitting in a dark storeroom, it comes directly from Japan.

Have you ever scraped the green mulch from under the hover mower well this has the same damp texture and resembles grass cuttings the stench from it steeping in hot water smells like a blocked drain at this point that is exactly where I poured it ,I wonder was it human poo what they feed this green stuff .