Thunderbolt’s Arya Emerald ‘09 (review)

Name: Arya Emerald

Brand: Thunderbolt Tea

Type: Green tea, darjeeling

Form: Loose leaf

Cost: $18.00 for 100 grams (quantity discounts available)

Review: I confess to being somewhat skeptical of non-Chinese or or Japanese green teas: I’ve tried a few standouts, of course, but for the most part, these teas are unappealing, unbalanced and/or just plain uninteresting.

This new offering from Thunderbolt, however, is none of these things. The soft gray-green and silvery leaf is long and twisted, with a subtle, sweet/buttery nose. When infused to a very pale yellow liquor (as light as some white teas that I have tried), the nose remains subtle, though some vegetal notes do emerge.

On the palate, this tea is very light, balanced and smooth, with notes of baby lettuce: It does have some of the typical Darjeeling astringency, but it is mainly in the finish. It also makes for a most refreshing iced tea.

I was surprised by the quality of this tea, and I look forward to trying future efforts from this garden.

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