Tropical Green (Harney & Sons)

One of the first loose teas I ever purchased, this Tropical Green from Harney & Sons is wonderfully aromatic. The tropical scents fill a room and wet the palate for what’s to come.

The jagged dark green leaves remind me of a Japanese Bancha or maybe even a Sencha. The aroma is predominently pineapple, though I detect either guava or passion fruit in the mix as well.

When brewed the liquor produced is a wonderful yellow hue. The aroma is more subdued than from it’s dry leaf counterpart, but still plenty aromatic with the scents literally discernable from another room.

The flavors are a veritable street fight between the vegetal green tea and the pineapple. It’s difficult to say which is most dominent here. The finish and tail are primarily of the vegetal style though.

This tea is a bit brisk. It bites like a ripe pineapple does and you’ll know it when it hits your tongue. It’s because of this I find it to be fantastic iced as the cooler temperature subdues the bite and helps to bring out the tropical flavors.

I would recommend this tea to fans of citrus blends and of Bancha and Sencha style green teas.