The Tea Leaf Company: Simply Green

When it comes to tea, as with other things in life, quite often simplicity is all you want. Today I woke with a ever so slightly fuzzy head and just wanted a plain and simple cup of tea. Sometimes that is what my body yearns for. To experience tea in it's purest form.

Rifling through my tea box I found exactly what I needed. This lovely green tea by The Tea Leaf Company.  It's a simple yet beautiful tea. Simply Green. 

Green tea is one of the most divisive tea's that exists in the world. I very rarely come across people who say they like it, or it's ok. It's either yes, I love it and am a avid green tea drinker or I hate it and can't stand to be around the stuff. There is, in green tea, very little middle ground.

And I can understand that attitude because green tea is very unique. It's a very natural and at times almost gritty tea. I didn't like it at first simply because I was buying the supermarket branded tea's which are, in most cases, not very good. When I was sent a sample many years ago of proper, real, top quality green tea, I soon fell in love with green tea for all the right reasons.

I knew, as soon as I opened the packet of this tea that I would like it. This tea is a traditional, solid green tea and has all the earthy and grassy elements that I love - its' a real tea that you can get your teeth into and enjoy hugely. The aroma of this tea is exactly that - earthy and it made my mouth water. And, considering this is a Sri Lankan green tea, I knew this would have some oomph about it!

Visually this is a beautiful tea. Sadly it's not reflected in the photograph above, but it's curly leaves are dark green and stunning to look at.  It's very attractive - I find exceptional beauty in tea leaves and these are interesting to look at and lovely to feel.

As this tea was sent to me through the wonderful tea subscription service, teatourist, it comes with a handy little card with information about how to brew. Now I do know my green tea brewing stuff, and it did state to infuse the tea between two and five minutes. However, I do feel that five minutes is a bit too long so I opted for the middle option of three minutes and I felt this was perfect. However, you may enjoy it brewed at five minutes, it will be strong because it packs a punch after three minutes infusion! As with all tea's the best thing to do is experiment and see what tastes better for you.

I set the timer and waited patiently for three minutes and loved the scent as the tea infused.

The flavour of this tea is absolutely gorgeous and it's exactly the sort of green tea that I love. Natural, earthy and healthy. It's scrummy, delicious and much, much more!

There is a smoothness to this tea that, despite it's strength, makes it easy to drink. Some green tea's that have that slight bitter edge are hard to get through, this is not.

With most tea's that come from Sri Lanka this tea has strength, is robust (a very good alternative to that early morning coffee!) and is so full of flavour that you feel as though you could almost bite into it. This is ideal for a kick start in the morning if, like me, coffee is not your thing. It honestly would get you up and running in the loveliest possible way. Yet, whilst being strong, the flavour is, somehow not overbearing and is not too much to take. It balances very well between having flavour and yet is enjoyable.

It's also incredibly refreshing and is a thirst quencher. I prepared this tea after eating a meal that was probably a little too highly salted and unlike other tea's this quenched that horrible thirst that you get when you've eaten too much salt.

The flavour of this tea is grassy. And it's that traditional element that makes green tea lovers drool at the prospect of a good green tea! The flavour rolls around your mouth and stays with you long after the cup of tea has been consumed. You can taste it for some time after - and that is no criticism at all!

This is also incredibly moreish - I will admit that as I finished the first cup my body was crying out for a second, and I was interested to read on the information card that this green tea could be re-infused so, I thought I'd give it a go. I wasn't holding out much hope as me and re-infusing green tea doesn't always go hand in hand - I've had my fair share of disasters. But I remained hopeful as I drew some fresh water from the tap.

Does this tea stand up to a second three minute infusion? I tried the tea with trepidation, I will admit. However, I was pleasantly surprised!

It's like having two different cups of tea from the same leaves. Rather then it taking on a harsh, bitter tone, which is normally my experience, this tea totally transforms into a softer, gentler tea, though keeping it's much loved and familiar grassy elements, the strength is somewhat reduced. How that works I cannot say but I am totally shocked at how this tea changes - but not in anyway for the worse. It just seems to evolve into a softer version of it's former self. I was utterly gobsmacked at how unbitter this tea is on second brewing. I was expecting astringency - I got none. I was very happy.

I'm really quite smitten with this tea and highly impressed - and believe me, I've drunk lots of green tea.

It's vital though that you follow the golden rules of infusing green tea to get the best out of your cup and to enjoy this tea as it should be.

1. Use freshly drawn water - do not reboil water. It can make the tea taste strange and bitter.
2. Do not boil the water for green tea - 80 degrees will do it!
3. Set the timer - over infusion can kill green tea flat and it can be done in mere seconds. Always time your tea and err on the side of caution. I would advise that three minutes is good enough, but feel free to experiment but the difference between three and five minutes with green tea can mean the difference between a gorgeous tea and a rotten one - so infuse with caution!

Simply Green is ideal for you if you like your green tea strong. If you're a lover of Gunpowder Green, Fog Green or Dragonwell then this is for you. However, if you are so so on green tea, like it delicate or can only drink it with added flavouring then this may not be for you.

This blend is as satisfying to the tea lover then any black tea. It's tasty, wholesome and feels ever so good to be drinking it.

As a tea lover and a green tea nut I cannot recommend this highly enough.