Den's "Official" Japanese tea topic

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Den's "Official" Japanese tea topic

by Chip » Dec 17th, '09, 15:09

NEW! Official Japanese Green Tea Vendor Guide: DensTea.com Consider this a perennial topic for Japanese teas from Den's Tea.

http://denstea.com/

Official Japanese Green Tea Vendor Guide. Let's see what happens with this wild and crazy idea. You can view the main guide Japanese TeaVendor Guide here: http://www.teachat.com/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=11556 and the main TeaVendor Guide here: http://www.teachat.com/viewforum.php?f=60

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Re: "Official" Den's Japanese tea topic

by brad4419 » Dec 18th, '09, 18:41

I really like dens tea a lot. So far I've been very happy with everything I have had from them. My favorites are there Sencha Fuka-midori and Fukamushi. I still have several sample left to try.

The other thing I love about dens is there $3 green tea sampler that if you purchase $15 or more from them you get the $3 refunded. Its a great way to try there offerings and for new drinkers to try sencha for a good price.

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Re: "Official" Den's Japanese tea topic

by Victoria » Dec 18th, '09, 22:08

Den's is great for me because it is very close here in Southern California and therefore shipping is super fast. They have one of my two my current favorite matcha: Matcha Miyabi. I also really enjoy their Sakura Sencha (seasonal)

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Re: "Official" Den's Japanese tea topic

by DoctorD » Dec 18th, '09, 23:08

I keep looking at the websites of all the other Japanese vendors that the aficionados on this forum drool over, and then I generally head back to Den's--first dedicated Japanese vendor I tried, and still better than the (couple) competitors I've tried. I've gotten both teas and teaware from them and have been satisfied every time.

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Re: "Official" Den's Japanese tea topic

by Chip » Dec 18th, '09, 23:34

Den's was the first vendor to effectively bridge the gap, a Japanese vendor in the USA. They have been a top 5 fave vendor of mine for close to 3 years. I met Den at the World Tea Expo in 2008, which was a true pleasure. I visited the Den's booth at least once a day and brought others over to try his Sencha-s. I came home with his premium Kyusu/Cup set that is ideal for sipping the very best Sencha.

I enjoy the Zuiko, Fukamushi Maki, Shin-ryoku, the new Yame Fukamushi, Kukicha, Sencha w/Matcha as well as the special edition Shincha-s. I recently sampled several Matcha including Miyabi and Organic and was pleasantly surprised, just did not expect good Matcha coming from Shizouka, these offered interesting cocoa and dried fruit notes.

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Dec 26th, '09, 13:58
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Re: "Official" Den's Japanese tea topic

by mbishop » Dec 26th, '09, 13:58

Just wanted to say, I just received my beginner's sample.

Best $3 I've ever spent! Just tore open the Sencha fuka-midori sample and am drinking it now. Fantastic! Still have two other loose samples and two "pyramid bags" to try!

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Re: "Official" Den's Japanese tea topic

by Cinnamon Kitty » Dec 27th, '09, 09:39

Den's Sakura Sencha is one of the teas that I look forward to in the spring. It is the best flavored tea that I have tasted. The Fuka-Midori is great for a cheaper sencha and the $3 sampler pack is what really got me into Japanese green tea. It was the best $3 purchase that I have made for tea. The $19 kyusu are awesome too.

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Re: "Official" Den's Japanese tea topic

by iannon » Dec 27th, '09, 21:11

I enjoy their sakura sencha too for a nice change of pace. Also order their Genmaicha extra green too for a nice toasty treat

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Re: "Official" Den's Japanese tea topic

by teaisme » Jan 5th, '10, 16:49

Den's was my first introduction into japanese teas and it is a really good starting point. The website is the most comfortable to browse for me, very easy on the eyes. Nothing yelling at you. Nothing seems out of place. They also have some great sales every now again such as buy 2 get 1 free, or 20% off if you order a pound etc.

I enjoy experimenting with their teas and blending them together.
Recently I have found mixing a spoon each of their mecha, guricha, and organic sencha together makes a very nice cup with a pleasing mix of flavour.

I have tried almost all their loose leaf teas, minus their matchas, and flavoured teas. Haven't tried the new fuka yame yet though or the famed sakura sencha.
All are good and nothing was undrinkable, but a few really stand out to me and I reorder more often. They are...
-Tencha-Kuki Houjicha (only seen this type at dens and it truly is special both in taste and aroma)
-Guricha
-Gyokuro Suimei
-Houji-Kukicha

I've tried the four organic teas they offer, well tried 3, still have an unopened bag of Organic Genmaicha with Matcha to try, but the other 3 were good. I feel you can find better organics elsewhere though, just need to pay a little more.

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Re: "Official" Den's Japanese tea topic

by AdamMY » Jan 5th, '10, 17:12

I'm going to take a contrarian point of view a little bit. I think dens does some things great, as in they offer great starter kyusu-s which are basically bomb proof and are not unattractive.

But the 2oz of tea I got from them I was not happy with at all, This was even with using a thermometer and Timer (back when I still used them). Though I'm wondering if I was still doing something fundamentally wrong as it was their Fuka Midori.

Though I do believe that with some help of people on the forum, and experimenting I got it to a passable taste, but I still think there might have been something off with the batch I received.

I will have to try them again some time, as many people stand by their offerings especially their Fuka midori.

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Re: "Official" Den's Japanese tea topic

by teaisme » Jan 5th, '10, 17:38

To me their Fuka midori is good when compared to other sencha's of the same price range from other vendors. But if you compare it to sencha that is more expensive such as their shin-ryoku then it is not nearly as good. According to the website it is their number one sold tea, but this is more for value and taste then just for taste alone.

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Re: "Official" Den's Japanese tea topic

by edkrueger » Jan 5th, '10, 21:28

AdamMY wrote:I'm going to take a contrarian point of view a little bit. I think dens does some things great, as in they offer great starter kyusu-s which are basically bomb proof and are not unattractive.
I am not impressed by their Kyusu. Though I've never seen them in person, in all of the pictures I've seen of them, they are horrendous.
AdamMY wrote:But the 2oz of tea I got from them I was not happy with at all, This was even with using a thermometer and Timer (back when I still used them). Though I'm wondering if I was still doing something fundamentally wrong as it was their Fuka Midori.
I think there is something fundamentally wrong with the tea though: the steaming. Dens Tea has failed to impress me anything at all, except for the Hashiri, which was probably the best asamushicha I've had that wasn't from Uji.
Last edited by edkrueger on Jan 6th, '10, 00:02, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: "Official" Den's Japanese tea topic

by Chip » Jan 5th, '10, 22:39

edkrueger wrote:
AdamMY wrote:I'm going to take a contrarian point of view a little bit. I think dens does some things great, as in they offer great starter kyusu-s which are basically bomb proof and are not unattractive.
I am not impressed by their Kyusu. Though I've never seen them in person, in all of the pictures I've seen of them, they are horrendous.
AdamMY wrote:But the 2oz of tea I got from them I was not happy with at all, This was even with using a thermometer and Timer (back when I still used them). Though I'm wondering if I was still doing something fundamentally wrong as it was their Fuka Midori.
I think there is something fundamentally wrong with the tea though: the steaming. Dens Tea has failed to impress me anything at all, except for the Hatsumicha, which was probably the best asamushicha I've had that wasn't from Uji.
This brings up some points of etiquette for "Official Vendor Topics" if this program is to continue. Everyone is entitled to an opinion, but ...

First, relate negative experience/review on a specific level based on actual experience with the product(s), not generalities or on products not tested. Refering to something as horrendous prior to testing is unfair to a vendor. As Moderator, this will not fly with me, I don't care what vendor it is.

If you had a negative or non positive experience with a specific tea or product or service, you can certainly comment on it by name. Every vendor has teas that will not suit everyone. However general negative comments are both non productive and unfair to everyone. If you have a negative comment on a tea you tried, you owe to us and to share what the tea is and why or say nothing at all.

This is also a public forum and thus I believe we owe to the vendors in general to be specific when posting a negative review.

So, in fairness to the vendor since I have had experience with several of their Kyusu, I will share my thoughts. I have the Shincha Kyusu which I have also called bomb proof. It is great for travel, I throw in its box and take it to family outings, and since it is fully glazed, I feel confident brewing virtually anything in it. It is a great value IMHO for 20 bucks and will likely outlive me. I would not compare this to a $50 kyusu, not in the same class, it is however a great and tough $20 Kyusu.

I also have Den's logo premium grade white Kyusu, Yuzamashi and Cups. These are not cheap, but I have them in a place of honor here, they are extremely well made and AMAZING in hand. The Kyusu is just amazing and WHITE! I use this set for the finest teas only!

Teas, again, I have had several, TBH, I do not know if I had the Fuka Midori, but it is 3rd tier sencha, and very cheap.

I have had the 2 higher grades of their more asamushi, premium Zuiko and Shin-ryoku, and like them quite a bit. I have shared samples of these with members who have never had a complaint. The Zuiko has a remarkable aroma, truly astounding fragrant brew. It is remarkably balanced as well. The Shin-ryoku is milder but an easy brewer, quite good in its own way.

I have also had the Fukamushi Maki which is always very good fuka. It has a slightly more astringent and bitter note than some other fuka, but this is not a negative for me. I have also had the new Yame Fukamushi which I like more than the Maki, very full flavored.

I have also had their 3 shincha special editions, and their Guricha, all good. I have had their top 3 grades of Matcha, all very good. And their Kukicha is my 2nd fave Kukicha currently.

I have had all positive experiences with Den's products.

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Re: "Official" Den's Japanese tea topic

by edkrueger » Jan 5th, '10, 22:58

First, relate negative experience/review on a specific level based on actual experience with the product(s), not generalities or on products not tested. Refering to something as horrendous prior to testing is unfair to a vendor. As Moderator, this will not fly with me, I don't care what vendor it is.
You are referring to the teapot here. I will change that to "looks horrendous." I can just tell by looking at it that is is a piece of junk. I have handled many teapots, I actually remember handling a teapot that looks just like this, but I can't be sure it was the same one.
If you had a negative or non positive experience with a specific tea or product or service, you can certainly comment on it by name. Every vendor has teas that will not suit everyone. However general negative comments are both non productive and unfair to everyone. If you have a negative comment on a tea you tried, you owe to us and to share what the tea is and why or say nothing at all.
Here I have no idea what you are talking about. I have had the tea we were talking about here. I have also had other Den's products. I said "Dens Tea has failed to impress me anything at all, except for the Hatsumicha, which was probably the best asamushicha I've had that wasn't from Uji." That was true. I also fail too see what is wrong with general negative feedback. I can't imagine how that would be any less useful than general positive feed back. On the topic, here is some general negative feedback. I've been extremely disappointing with the company, with the exception with the one sencha I mentioned, every tea I got from them was extremely misrepresented in the pictures on the site. The other shincha I got was literally dust. Strangely, I like mecha, just not when it costs 10 dollars an ounce.

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Re: "Official" Den's Japanese tea topic

by Chip » Jan 6th, '10, 00:01

:lol: I also liked their sencha with matcha and their genmaicha with matcha and their genmaicha...and their Sakura Sencha was yummm.

I just have not had a tea from them in 2-3 years that I did not like ... :mrgreen:

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