Sweet, sweet sencha! T2 Sencha Tea was one of the teas I was most looking forward to trying this month.
I’ve learnt that you should never think of a T2 tea as plain. From their “Just” Chamomile to simple Earl Grey, all their teas and blends have unique flavours and distinct characters.
I’m reviewing the tea bag version of the Sencha green tea, but it’s also available as loose from T2 both on their official website and on Amazon.
T2 Sencha Tea at a Glance
- Origin: Japan (see note under ‘Why T2 Green Tea Bags?’)
- Flavour: A refreshing, warm, hay and grass green tea with sugar snap pea notes
This is a really lovely tea that’s far from plain. The green tea has an amazing natural sweetness and smooth feel that makes it a pleasure to drink.
Full Review – T2 Sencha Green Tea Review
- Type: Tagged pyramid mesh sachet
- Tea: Green tea
- Origin: Japan (see note under ‘Why T2 Green Tea Bags?’)
- Flavour Notes: Hay, fresh grass, sugar snap peas
- Aroma: Fresh, wet grass, lemon-like astringency
- Milk or Lemon: Lemon, if desired
- Where to Buy: Amazon
Opening the foil packet (a great sign of freshness) you’re instantly met with the fresh, grassy notes you expect. There’s also an astringency to the aroma that’s almost lemony.
It brews into a green-tinted yellow gold tea with more hay notes than I was expecting. My sencha experiences in the past have been astringent – but there’s none of that here.
Hay and fresh cut, rain-soaked grass hit your nose just as you take a sip. The tea refreshes your mouth, revitalising every tastebud with that green grass flavour, but hold up.
There’s more.
It’s so sweet! Notes of sugar snap peas grow more intense with every sip and linger long into the aftertaste.
The depth of this tea is amazing and the sweetness adds to the bright freshness. In fact, the sweetness is so strong that I actually found it a little bit overpowering. Ultimately, I have to be in the mood for something sweet when I drink this tea.
How to Brew Sencha Green Tea
I brewed for 1 minute and 30 seconds – and even this was a bit too sweet for my palate. With T2 Sencha tea, err on the side of caution. I’d recommend brewing in 30 second increments and tasting often until you find the right strength. T2 recommend 1 to 3 minutes.
As with all green teas, use 80°C water instead of boiling water directly from the kettle.
This tea would go nicely with slices of honeydew melon. Something juicy and honey-like will complement the sweetness of the tea and work well with the grassiness.
Why T2 Green Tea Bags?
In all my T2 experiences so far, I’ve found that the tea leaves inside T2s teabags are equal to their loose leaf versions. You’re really not missing out by choosing the tea bags!
As for the origin of this tea, that’s unclear. The standard “Sencha” tea you can buy from T2, which is the Sencha I’ve reviewed, doesn’t have a single origin on the label.
Traditionally, what makes Sencha different from other green teas is how it is grown and processed. The tea plants are grown in direct sunlight, and the picked leaves are steamed rather than pan fired. This is what makes the Japanese way of producing green tea different, and it usually results in grassier and more astringent flavours. This makes the hay and sweetness in this T2 sencha tea a little unusual.
You can buy “Japanese Sencha” from T2 which is an entirely different tea to this one. So, that leads me to believe that this sencha that I’ve reviewed is not entirely from Japan.
Regardless, the quality and flavours are superb. If it is a blend of sencha teas from different origins, then it has been masterfully blended.
Summary
This is a great green tea that I highly recommend. It’s especially great for those with a very sweet tooth who want to cut back on sugar. You’ll be astounded at that amazing sweetness of this grassy green tea! Buy it through Amazon using the button below or find it on T2’s official website.
Tea Recommendation
A beautiful plain green tea can be lovely to sip on as you contemplate life (or just what to have for dinner). But when I truly need to relax, only a jasmine green tea will do! Start by reading my review of Fosters Jasmine Green Tea.