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Best Green Teas

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Best Green Teas

Green teas have been processed less than their black tea cousins, and have a much fresher flavour. The health benefits of green tea are seemingly endless. Since the leaves are not fermented, the taste is pleasantly "green" and herbal. If you're new to green tea, you might be surprised that there are many dozens of varieties out there, each with its own unique taste.

You never brew green teas in fully boiling water, but rather heat the water to just before the boiling point.

Each tea has a link to a place online where you can buy some.

Dragonwell

Dragonwell Green TeaDragonwell green tea (which is also known as Lung Ching) is the ultimate green tea. The name comes from a legendary well in the West Lake region of China where the tea is produced. The colour is bright green and the flavour is very brisk and almost tart. Dragonwell is a high-quality tea and will have a high price-tag to match.

Macha

Macha Green TeaMacha is the kind of green tea used in the traditional Japanese tea ceremony. It's ground up very finely to an actual powder, and the tea is whisked with a little bamboo brush after its brewed. The flavour is very light with a hint of sweet. Macha works well added to desserts, such as green tea ice cream.

Gunpowder

Gunpowder green teaThese green tea leaves are rolled into tight, little balls that apparently resemble old-style gunpowder pellets. Because of the balled shape, gunpowder green tea stays fresher longer than most other green teas. The taste is fresh, strong and a little "grassy". It takes a little longer to brew as the leaves have to unfurl in the water.

Anji

Anji Green TeaAnji green tea is a bit more obscure, but it's getting more popular due for its fine and subtle flavor. Its grown in the Zhejiang region of China and has thin little leaves that look almost black when in dried form. A good variety to try if you find others to be too strong tasting, it's quite mild for a green tea.

Sencha

Sencha green teaSencha is one of the most popular green teas in Japan. It has a little bit of an astringent (drying) taste along with a slight sweetness. Lesser quality sencha tea is called bancha.

Genmaicha

Genmaicha green teaGenmaicha isn't actually a kind of green tea but a certain type of unique blend. To make genmaicha, regular sencha green tea leaves are mixed with toasted brown rice kernals. Sounds odd, but the tea has a distinctive toasty and pleasant taste that is a little nutty.

Jasmine

Jasmine Green TeaLike genmaicha, jasmine isn't really a kind of green tea, but is a blended tea with green tea and jasmine blossom petals. The flowers give the tea a very refreshing and slightly floral taste, and very fragrant aroma.

More about Tea

The Steaming Cup
Recipes for tea, as well as coffee and hot chocolate.
How to Brew Green Tea
Detailed instructions on brewing the perfect cup of green tea.
Top Black Teas
If green teas really aren't your thing, there are several excellent varieties of black tea to choose from instead.

Buy Green Tea Samplers

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Reader Feedback

What's your favorite variety or style of green tea?

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  • Reply
    jptanabe Apr 10, 2010 @ 11:38 am | delete
    I do enjoy green tea! Matcha though only in icecream, not into the Japanese tea ceremony drink. I usually have sencha but should get some gunpowder tea again. And I love the not really green teas - Jasmine and Genmaicha.
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