This is the feed of all reviews of teas from ITO EN on RateTea.http://ratetea.com/brand/ito-en/89/http://ratetea.com/review/7081/http://ratetea.com/review/7081/Sun, 06 Apr 2025 01:02:24 ESTITO EN's Oi Ocha has become my favorite straight Japanese green tea pretty quickly. It was one of my favorites of several teas in my daughter's pantry in Bangkok, on decent water (reverse-osmosis filtration of the otherwise risky city tap water), and seems even better on my mineralized but filtered well water at home. The dry-bag aroma is predictably ricey, slightly vegetal and slightly grassy, but well-balanced. The tea brews up a light yellow if hot-steeped the wrapper-recommended 30 seconds, but I ...http://ratetea.com/review/6060/http://ratetea.com/review/6060/Thu, 21 Mar 2019 11:39:39 ESTThe dry tea is tiny, broken pieces, almost like fannings. I assume it's a lower grade, "everyday" tea. I use a metal tea ball with a tight mesh to brew loose tea and there's a ton of sediment at the bottom of my cup, which is distracting and a bit off-putting. Brewing, the tea smells like seaweed with underripe apple and melon. The flavor is strong and grassy. The bitterness is light, but sharp on the sides of the tongue and the tea is moderately astringent. This tea shows more sweetness than I'm used t...http://ratetea.com/review/5999/http://ratetea.com/review/5999/Thu, 07 Feb 2019 11:29:15 ESTI ended up overnight in the Detroit suburbs for work and found this tea in a Japanese grocery store. The dry leaves are broken up into much smaller pieces than the Japanese senchas that I'm used to. It's very pungent, though, smelling of cut hay and alfalfa. Adding the water releases just a ton of aroma. The color is a deep, slightly yellow, grass green. It smells strongly vegetal and of chlorophyll without being as seaweedy as most Japanese teas that I've tried. It smells like a mixture of steamed v...http://ratetea.com/review/5709/http://ratetea.com/review/5709/Wed, 12 Sep 2018 08:26:22 ESTThis is my sushi tea. It complements the flavor of nori well, and it's quick to brew and clean up because it's a teabag. Despite the name, this mostly tastes like sencha. It has a creamy, seaweedy, umami flavor. There is a very slight bitterness, which sencha always seems to have and I actually like in the same way that I like the bitterness of 80+% dark chocolate and IPAs, although this is nowhere near that level of bitterness. I brew this in an approximately 100ml Japanese cup (not sure if it's meant...http://ratetea.com/review/5615/http://ratetea.com/review/5615/Wed, 23 May 2018 15:10:42 ESTThis was quite a discovery. I purchased this at a Chinese market in Edison, NJ. I was surprised to see a Japanese tea for sale, but I grabbed it because I saw D. Gray had reviewed it and was eager to try it. I wasn't disappointed! The dry leaf is a rich, yellow-green color, and pleasantly aromatic, smelling sweet and fresh, a bit like grain (especially corn) and with light straw notes. The brewed cup tastes and smells like what I'd expect from the leaf: it is mellow, smooth, and the aroma is light an...http://ratetea.com/review/5335/http://ratetea.com/review/5335/Wed, 11 Oct 2017 15:18:31 ESTThe standard tea bags are packaged in plastic. When opened, the tea is quite pungent, smelling fresh, sweet and of seaweed. I used 175° water for three minutes. This tea is really aromatic while brewing. The tea smells like seaweed, but not fishy. The flavor is definitely of high-quality Japanese green tea, but also reminds me of Chinese silver needles. It tastes quite fruity, with strong notes of pear and strawberry. It's less grassy than I normally associate with sencha or bancha. It tastes quite ...http://ratetea.com/review/4747/http://ratetea.com/review/4747/Fri, 12 Aug 2016 15:04:04 ESTIf you like white teas (so pale - must steep longer.) this is a safe choice and has not only a light grassy note but I got "flowers" - or maybe even honey if that's not reaching too far. I let it steep forever - over 5 minutes and it was still so pale, but it is, after all, a white tea. Rich in antioxidants. Like most Ito-En (Japanese) it's not too expensive and easy to find in NYC and Philly.http://ratetea.com/review/3825/http://ratetea.com/review/3825/Sat, 27 Sep 2014 23:36:11 ESTHojicha is another one of those teas that's great to serve to people who don't care for bitterness and astringency in their tea. The roasting process removes both many of the astringents and much of the caffeine, leaving this a calming experience on the palate. This hojicha in particular is one that I would consider decent--I can find nothing to complain about, and while I wouldn't rave and call it 'astonishing', hojicha is not the sort of tea that calls for that type of response. It's akin to comfort food...http://ratetea.com/review/2460/http://ratetea.com/review/2460/Wed, 29 May 2013 09:55:04 ESTIf you can find this (loose only - pearled by hand - and gorgeous to watch steep) try it! I used to get this from the NYC Ito En flagship store years back. I miss it. Subtle floral jamine notes and a pale yello/green steep after several minutes (be patient). Great hot and OK iced. (I prefer this one hot with a little sweetener if desired. No lemon!http://ratetea.com/review/2431/http://ratetea.com/review/2431/Thu, 16 May 2013 14:23:53 ESTI am not a huge fan of Chrysanthemum tea - unless it's iced and sweetened and then i get kinda-sorta get into it, but when I lived in NY I would go to the Ito-En flagship store and get a bunch of different kids. Their Chrysanthemum tea is fun to brew and watch the blossoms in the water. Smells a bit floral but also a bit like tumeric or a root of some kind (dry floral). Yellowish-brown and pale when you steep it - and it needs the entire 3 minutes.http://ratetea.com/review/2409/http://ratetea.com/review/2409/Mon, 13 May 2013 16:50:43 ESTSorry - I just don't care for Lapsang Souchang (smoked) teas in general - and Ito En's is no exception - but that said - if you like smokey back teas with a strong aroma and a full-body when brewed (best served hot - it's just not an "icing" tea) - give Ito En's a try.http://ratetea.com/review/2408/http://ratetea.com/review/2408/Mon, 13 May 2013 16:46:26 ESTI like the roasty-toasty notes of Hojicha - especially iced in summer after a meal of sushi or sashimi - it just makes me feel good. Ito-En is like the McDonald's o Tea in Japan but is less known in the USA. I used to love going to the flagship store in NYC but I think it ,may be gone now. Meanwhile - try Ito En teas - they are notable and many are very good.http://ratetea.com/review/2397/http://ratetea.com/review/2397/Mon, 13 May 2013 13:05:47 ESTI love Jasmine-style teas and Ito En's is no exception. Brewed loose-leaf in a diffuser or tea ball is best served hot - not sweetener or lemon required. Grassy, floral and light bodies. Easy to drink. Harder to find outside of NYC and LA.(and of course, Japan).http://ratetea.com/review/2360/http://ratetea.com/review/2360/Fri, 03 May 2013 12:09:56 ESTThe genmaicha is relatively grassy tasting with a bit of bitterness - but is still pleasant enough and certainly cheap enough to enjoy regularly. Good but not a holy grail.http://ratetea.com/review/1582/http://ratetea.com/review/1582/Wed, 29 Feb 2012 18:24:00 ESTSimilar to Red Peony - I just had an Invoice from Gopaldhara and Rohini Tea estates and I had an opportunity to taste the hand made Peony Rosette. Indeed very special mystical and mesmerizing mouth lingering taste as we go along from first cup to second cup. This is one of my favorite tea, The tea is medium bodied and there is no tinge of bitternes and astringency. The notes of honey and long lasting biscuity notes is the feature. This Beautiful Tea can be brewed directly in a tea pot without a strainer. T...http://ratetea.com/review/1576/http://ratetea.com/review/1576/Mon, 27 Feb 2012 08:26:12 ESTAssam tea has acquired its name from its region of production- Assam in India. Characteristics like rich malty flavor, fuller body, bright color, briskness and sweet aroma has made this tea a hot favorite amongst the tea-enthusiasts all over the world. This tea is generally taken with milk and sugar but it can be drunk without milk also. The teas popularly known as “Breakfast Teas” generally contain tea leaves from Assam. Assam Tea has varied health benefits as well. Mangalam is a very well establishe...http://ratetea.com/review/1564/http://ratetea.com/review/1564/Sun, 26 Feb 2012 14:31:27 ESTMuscatel taste in Tea is only represented by Makaibari Tea Estate, a lot of Tea estates and company have wrong connotation about Muscatel and they claim as their own. Muscatel taste is generated only in Second Flush Darjeeling Tea, all second flush doesnot represent the Muscatel. The word Muscatel in terms of tea is the Patent work of Makaibari Tea Estate. Muscatel- Refers to rich sweet wine taste derived after steeping a tinge of astringent tannic characteristics, and a musky spiciness. The liquor is l...http://ratetea.com/review/1231/http://ratetea.com/review/1231/Mon, 11 Jul 2011 22:40:41 ESTExcellent tea, especially iced in summer. Wish Ito-En still had it on their site.http://ratetea.com/review/779/http://ratetea.com/review/779/Sat, 18 Sep 2010 23:49:30 ESTI sort of consider ITO EN to be the most acceptable of the lower-end tea brands...it's certainly not a crappy brand or anything but I just mean you can find it in any corner store nowadays (premade or boxed!) and while it's not exciting, it hits the spot. I usually love Genmaicha but theirs tends to have a bitter aftertaste that makes me think twice before buying it... but once in a while when you gots to have dat tea, this is it.http://ratetea.com/review/778/http://ratetea.com/review/778/Sat, 18 Sep 2010 23:47:54 ESTI sort of consider ITO EN to be the most acceptable of the lower-end tea brands...it's certainly not a crappy brand or anything but I just mean you can find it in any corner store nowadays (premade or boxed!) and while it's not exciting, it hits the spot. That said, their Hojicha is just always a bit too bitter for me to fully enjoy.http://ratetea.com/review/539/http://ratetea.com/review/539/Sun, 18 Apr 2010 22:25:04 ESTExcellent, concentrated, grassy but not Spinach-ey, altogether stimulating and simultaneously soothing drink. Like drinking green amber. Not a wuss tea; highly recommended. John Meyer, NYChttp://ratetea.com/review/449/http://ratetea.com/review/449/Mon, 08 Mar 2010 19:49:56 ESTNote: I am reviewing the Mangalam FBOP not a typical malty assam, smooth and mild. Aroma and flavor are lacking, but for the price a great bargain.