It's apparently easier to decaffeinate green tea and still have some flavor than it is black tea. One thing I've learned about decaf greens, though, is to use hotter water than one would for the caffeinated varieties. Conventional wisdom for green tea is to use cooler water and shorter steeping times to keep from cooking the more subtle flavors and avoid overextracting bitter compounds. Decaf greens, though, have muted enough flavors already that I find the tea to be far too weak without near-boiling water.

The dry teabags have very little aroma even though they're sealed in foil. Adding water releases a mild cut grass aroma and the color is a green-tinged golden. The box doesn't disclose where Bigelow sources the tea, but I expect that it's a predominantly Chinese blend. It lacks the seaweed notes and vibrant green color of Japanese teas.

The first sip of the tea is quite pleasant. The flavor isn't as strong as most caffeinated teas, but it's both sweet and mildly bitter. It tastes lightly creamy, with the flavor reminiscent of green tea flavored ice cream or milk candy. The finish is fleeting and is less bitter than I prefer with green tea.

As the tea cools, the flavor becomes both more pronounced and more nuanced. A little more bitterness comes out on the sides of the tongue, though the tea is still sweet and grassy.

Compared to caffeinated green teas, this tea is a bit flat and uninteresting, but it's still not bad. As far as decaffeinated green teas go, I've found a few that are better in the same price range (Celestial Seasonings and Stash come to mind), but I still keep a box of Bigelow for variety.

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