A good pure green tea can be anything but plain, but will Taylors of Harrogate Pure Green Tea be worth the time spent brewing it? This week, I am reviewing it to find out. Armed with a kettle, thermometer, and years of tea reviewing knowledge, I am going to give you an in-depth dive exploring the aroma, flavour and overall vibe of this tea.
Taylors of Harrogate are fairly well-known in the UK (albeit not as well-known as their sister company Yorkshire Tea) and I have reviewed several of their teas before. The Taylors of Harrogate Lemon and Orange Tea has been one of my favourites to sip this summer. But don’t worry if you are new the brand – I’ll explain what you need to know below.
Taylors of Harrogate Pure Green Tea at a Glance
Izzy’s Rating
- Origins: Sencha green tea from China
- Flavour: Smooth green tea, nicely blended
Although this green tea isn’t overly special, it is very smooth and pleasant to drink. It has a good grassy note and the right amount of astringency to make it quite refreshing.
Full Review – Green Tea by Taylors of Harrogate
- Type: Tagged paper filter teabag
- Tea: Sencha green tea
- Origin: Rainforest Alliance Certified tea estates in China
- Flavour Notes: Smooth green tea, grassy, slightly astringent
- Aroma: Grassy, steamed green tea, astringent, fresh
- Milk or Lemon: Lemon, to taste
- Where to Buy: some UK supermarkets or Amazon
Opening the packet, the generously sized teabag emits a grassy, steamed green tea aroma. It’s slightly astringent in that grassy bright note, which makes it surprisingly fresh! Most green teas delivered in teabag format are quite dull and dusty, so we are off to an excellent start.
Once brewed (instructions below), the green tea produces a dusty hay coloured liquid with orange-green hints. It’s quite thick too, with bubbles holding on the surface. The astringency of the tea has faded a little in the aroma and it’s quite generic… but still pleasant.
Now, let’s take a sip.
The flavour of Taylors of Harrogate Pure Green Tea is smooth and simple. There’s no clearly discernible flavour note, like vegetal or grass, but it tastes smooth and moderately fresh. It is highly drinkable and goes down easily.
So, this would make a nice everyday cup of green tea but it’s really nothing special. That being said, it is miles better than other supermarket green teas, like Twinings Pure Green Tea.
How to Brew Pure Green Tea
Brewing green tea is a little different to your usual cup of English Breakfast Tea. To start, you will need to use water that is roughly 80°C or you will risk turning the tea very bitter. If you are a tea nerd, by all means use a thermometer or specialist kettle that brings water up to this temperature. Otherwise, just let the kettle cool for 5 minutes before pouring it into your cup!
The instructions for Taylors of Harrogate Pure Green Tea are to use freshly boiled water (meaning fill the kettle up with fresh water rather than re-boiling the stale water left in it) and brew a single teabag per mug for one to two minutes.
One minute is plenty for this tea and will create a nice flavour – don’t let it steep for too long. You could also add some lemon either by squeezing in some fresh lemon juice or floating a slice of lemon in your teacup. Sometimes adding honey or sugar can be good for green tea to reduce any bitterness, but as this tea was super smooth already I really don’t think it needs any sweetener.
Why Buy Tea from Taylors of Harrogate?
Taylors of Harrogate are a decent brand for coffee and an excellent brand for tea. Unfortunately, you are far more likely to find their coffee in the supermarket than their range of every day and speciality teas. The best place to purchase this tea is to track it down online (I’ve provided links to Amazon). Some hotels and cafés will also stock Taylors of Harrogate Teas, as I’ve heard that you can get quite a good price for bulk purchasing if you are a commercial entity.
Although the origins of this sencha tea are very vague (listing China as the origins narrows it down to 3,700,000 square miles) I do like to see organic and ethical certifications. Taylors of Harrogate Pure Green Tea is Rainforest Alliance Certified, Carbon Neutral Certified, and the company is a member of the Ethical Tea Partnership.
Inside the teabag, the tea leaves are finely chopped. The back of the teabag packet claims that this is made from tender buds that are gently steamed… but as the leaf has been mullered to fit into a teabag, we really have no way to tell if that’s true.
The quality is on parr with other supermarket teabags, but the flavour indicates that it’s something a little better than usual. So, I’m not that fussed by the appearance.
Summary
If you are looking for a smooth and drinkable green tea that you can reliably brew every day without the need for loose leaf tea equipment, Taylors of Harrogate Pure Green Tea could be perfect for you. The flavour and aroma are nothing but pleasant with just the right amount of astringency to create a refreshing cup.
I’ve found this tea on Amazon and created a link below. Try it for yourself!
Tea Recommendation
If you are looking for a high-quality single origin sencha green tea that’s a little easier to trace back to the growing region, I recommend Tokyo Tea Garden Special Sencha. Ordering from small, independent loose leaf tea stores is usually the best way to guarantee quality. This tea is USDA certified organic too.