This tea was surprisingly decent.

After being repeatedly underwhelmed with the teas I've tried from Choice Organic Teas, I wasn't expecting much, but this one turned out to be a surprise. My expectations were very low--not only because of this brand but because in general, I've had bad experiences with Japanese green teas from tea bags (with the exception of hojicha or genmaicha).

Flavor is mild but complex: there are notes of sweetness and a faint bitterness. The aroma is also complex: like Choice claims, it is suggestive of freshly-cut grass, but I also notice a fruity quality and notes of cinnamon. The cup is dark in color for a green tea.

I brewed 2 minutes; the tea infused very fast and I think a shorter steeping might be preferable. There wasn't much flavor left for a second cup, and the first cup was borderline too strong.

In the end, it's still a tea bag filled with fine fannings and dust, and I'd be unlikely to buy or recommend it. But given what it was, I thought it was above average.

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