Mar 12th, '08, 17:00
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Mar 13th, '08, 00:58
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Space Samurai
It is true that many of the more vocal fans of green tea on this forum are more fond of the Japanese leaf.
In my opinion, based on my experience, Japanese tea has a broader range of flavor profiles; the differences between various Chinese green teas being more subtle.
Also, Japanese tea can be bolder, more intense than Chinese green.
Japan focuses almost all of their tea growing efforts on just green tea, and this could have something to do with it.
Now if we were to talk non-green tea, I think China whips everyone's a$$.
In my opinion, based on my experience, Japanese tea has a broader range of flavor profiles; the differences between various Chinese green teas being more subtle.
Also, Japanese tea can be bolder, more intense than Chinese green.
Japan focuses almost all of their tea growing efforts on just green tea, and this could have something to do with it.
Now if we were to talk non-green tea, I think China whips everyone's a$$.
Mar 13th, '08, 07:36
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Proinsias
Mar 13th, '08, 09:15
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While I agree 100% with Space, I also feel that a given Chinese green is more about complexity while a given Japanese green is more true to it's profile from start to finish. Am I wrong?Space Samurai wrote:In my opinion, based on my experience, Japanese tea has a broader range of flavor profiles; the differences between various Chinese green teas being more subtle. Also, Japanese tea can be bolder, more intense than Chinese green.
Would you like to explain this comment?Proinsias wrote:Cheers Space,
You make me feel like a subtle, delicate beast in the midst less refined company. If I've taken that in the completely wrong way I'd like to wallow in my ignorance for a while before you correct me, thanks.
The implication seems to be that you have a predilection for Chinese teas (or perhaps just one or two of the Chinese green teas that were available from a particular tea-shop) and that those who have so far liked Japanese teas most are less 'refined'.
Hopefully I've taken your comment in completely the wrong way and you can correct this. (As it stands it seems you have asked people for their opinions and are now looking down on their 'unrefined' responses... not the sort of behaviour most of us would expect from a 'subtle, delicate beast'

Hello ***Camellia for us******Camellia for us*** wrote:Genmaicha!!!
I'm not shocked by this reply at all. There must be hundreds and hundreds of genmaicha blends available and some of them are very good (not all are made with bancha).
There's something really 'homely' about a nice cup of genmaicha. I mentioned earlier in this thread that I was given a packet of this from Fukuoka, it was made by the elderly neighbours of a friend of mine and is absolutely delicious. The 'popcorn' aromas mixed with the fresh scent of the tea leaves are a welcome way to warm up after coming in from the cold. More celebrated teas are wasted when your nose is still dribbling, yet this can be one of the most pleasurable times of all to have a cup of tea.
Mar 13th, '08, 09:48
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Proinsias
MoGa:
I'll try and explain, apologies if I offended.
The thread seems to be dominated by by posters with a preference for Japanese green over Chinese green. While I appreciate Japanese greens my heart really lies with Chinese greens, and has done since I began my foray into tea obsession.
As Space and Salsero have hinted at Japanese greens are often seen as more bold, intense and perhaps more uniform which is also my own experience. Chinese green is often said to be far more subtle.
I was trying to be light hearted in my comments painting those with a preference for Japanese green as perhaps less subtle, and by my own extension less refined, than the, hopefully, silent droves of voters for Chinese green. I expected this to perhaps be corrected in a light hearted fashion and that's is why I asked for a little time to 'wallow in my ignorance'.
With regards to asking for the opinions of others, I don't recall doing this. I was scouting for the opinion of TaiPing Hou Kui as I was fairly confident where that vote lie and may help balance the thread in favour of China a little.
I should maybe aim for my humour to be a bit more bold and obvious, a bit like Japanese green, to avoid offense in future.
I'll try and explain, apologies if I offended.
The thread seems to be dominated by by posters with a preference for Japanese green over Chinese green. While I appreciate Japanese greens my heart really lies with Chinese greens, and has done since I began my foray into tea obsession.
As Space and Salsero have hinted at Japanese greens are often seen as more bold, intense and perhaps more uniform which is also my own experience. Chinese green is often said to be far more subtle.
I was trying to be light hearted in my comments painting those with a preference for Japanese green as perhaps less subtle, and by my own extension less refined, than the, hopefully, silent droves of voters for Chinese green. I expected this to perhaps be corrected in a light hearted fashion and that's is why I asked for a little time to 'wallow in my ignorance'.
With regards to asking for the opinions of others, I don't recall doing this. I was scouting for the opinion of TaiPing Hou Kui as I was fairly confident where that vote lie and may help balance the thread in favour of China a little.
I should maybe aim for my humour to be a bit more bold and obvious, a bit like Japanese green, to avoid offense in future.
Mar 13th, '08, 10:18
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MoGa, I suspect you were laboring under the misapprehension that Proinsias started this thread, but actually it was Pentox that posed the initial question. I made the same mistake. Those "P.." people all look the same to me.MoGa wrote:...it seems you have asked people for their opinions and are now looking down on their 'unrefined' responses...

Most Chinese greens have a more subtle taste compared to Japanese greens, but there is also a difference in what kind of aromas to expect. When I drink Chinese green tea my expectation is to sense a cooked vegetable, nutty and roasted aroma while I expect a Japanese green tea to have a more grassy and marine aroma with perhaps some sweet fruity taste as well (blackcurrant). My point is, green tea is a wide category and the name of the category only says something about the color of the leaf and that it is not oxidized.
I am glad you did! That was very interesting.Proinsias wrote:MoGa:
I'll try and explain,
I've been lucky to have had a lot of exposure to Japanese green teas, but I wouldn't assume that they were 'better' (or necessarily more 'obvious') than those from China. It's just that I don't get so many opportunities to taste them. It could well be that the green tea I ultimately regard as my favourite isn't from Japan at all. It's also a shame that tea houses in Beijing have become synonymous with tourist scams. I hope to go to China in the near future, but I don't feel confident that I'll be able to discover new teas there with the same ease and security that I can in Japan. It's very sad...

You are quite right. That's exactly what I did doSalsero wrote:MoGa, I suspect you were laboring under the misapprehension that Proinsias started this thread, but actually it was Pentox that posed the initial question. I made the same mistake. Those "P.." people all look the same to me.MoGa wrote:...it seems you have asked people for their opinions and are now looking down on their 'unrefined' responses...

(hangs head in shame)
MoGa, I feel that the green teas I drink are so inextricably linked to Japan, to the people and food and and friends with whom they are shared, that I can't think in terms of a quantifiable type or brand... I like a good green that's recommended by a Japanese friend who scribbles directions on a napkin to the shop that sells it. It's an associative thing, I guess. That said, when I started buying the same green from a Nara Jusco a few times, I was told it was a 'good green'... I asked 'what kind of green? Is this a sencha? What?' and was always told 'no, that's just green tea.'
I like that description. It's just green tea. Very very good green tea.
That said, I'm drinking a gyokuro now which is remarkably clean, but the tin just has the name of the shop on it, no other information (the shop was in Kyoto). That's a big part of the charm (romance?) of Japanese greens - buying 500g of sencha from a woman selling it in the name of her family next to a momimanju shop - getting kukicha as a gift from a friend, being offered a cup by people when you enter their kitchen. I love Japanese green tea.
I like that description. It's just green tea. Very very good green tea.
That said, I'm drinking a gyokuro now which is remarkably clean, but the tin just has the name of the shop on it, no other information (the shop was in Kyoto). That's a big part of the charm (romance?) of Japanese greens - buying 500g of sencha from a woman selling it in the name of her family next to a momimanju shop - getting kukicha as a gift from a friend, being offered a cup by people when you enter their kitchen. I love Japanese green tea.
Mar 13th, '08, 14:25
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tenuki
I agree with you Camellia, don't let these snobby tea bullys change _your_ taste buds.Pentox wrote:*Blank stare of absolute shock****Camellia for us*** wrote:Genmaicha!!!

It's so easy to get caught up in all the tea snobbery. As the father of a young child I've had the 'opportunity' to watch Ratatouille upwards of 20 times. (yikes) Now, it's not a particularily good movie, but it has some moments that are good and one of them applies here:
The moment the food critic tastes the common, humble, peasant dish ratatouille, is transported back to his childhood, casts aside his food snobbery and simply revels in the experience of connecting his senses to his memories, to his essential core of being. That moment. That is what constitutes 'favorite'.
Genmaicha does that for me too. Go away tea snob bullies and get connected again to your own reality instead of trying to force a theoretical reality down everyone's throats. 'favorite' is just that, a personal thing.