Green Tea Artisan – Premium Teas

“In search of excellence with a twist of fate” is how the founders of Green Tea Artisan describe their journey in locating premium teas from various regions throughout the Far East. According to this new, exciting up and coming company, tea has lost its true meaning and value due to our busy lifestyles and deserves more respect. With a statement like that GTA doesn’t beat around the ‘bush’. But can it quite literally put its tea leaves where its mouth is? Read on to find out.

Ingredients: 

Living Goddess Tea: Green Tea – 100% Nepalese green tea (Loose leaves).

Umami Tea: Sencha – 100% Japanese green tea (Loose leaves).

Ginza Tea: Sencha – 100% Japanese green tea (Loose leaves).

Four Seasons: Sencha and Matcha – 100% Japanese green tea (Nylon tea bags).

Matcha ‘A’ Stick: Matcha – 100% powdered Japanese green tea.

Matcha Ceremonial: Matcha – 100% powdered Japanese green tea.


Nutrition: 
Green tea is an antioxidant and contains no calories. It is a rich source of vitamins and aids in weight loss, lowers cholesterol and promotes cell growth. Regular daily consumption can help maintain a healthy, active metabolism and circulatory system. According to some research green tea can reduce the risk of heart disease and diabetes. It also has many oral benefits too, which include the prevention of tooth decay and bad breath.

Taste:

Living Goddess Tea: This charming beverage, which gets its name from the celebrated Kumari (Living Goddess) in Kathmandu, is pale golden-yellow in colour and has a clean aromatic flavour that leaves the tongue feeling delightfully tingly. Mellow and refreshing to taste it’s a delightful beverage with a lasting taste.

Umami Tea: A tea of paradox – it is very flavourful and mature tasting yet light and grassy with hints of sweetness. A wonderful everyday drink that can be enjoyed alone or with a wide range of healthy foods.

Ginza Tea: Slightly more delicate in taste than Umami and somewhat lighter in shade. This youthful blend of first and second flush leaves has a pleasant woody aroma and a satisfying toasty taste. Invigorating and full of character.

Four Seasons: 80% Sencha and 20% matcha, this is a winning combo that comes in handy nylon teabags making the preparation effortless. Strong, rich and bracing yet agreeable in flavour this will definitely quench your thirst on a hot summer day. One to be enjoyed outdoors with family and friends.

Matcha ‘A’ Stick: Makes for a very pleasing and refreshing experience.  It’s not as bitter as some other brands of matcha. Has a light earthy taste that transforms from bitter to sweet as it effortlessly dances over the tongue. It’s a fine powder tea that completely dissolves in water when mixed well. Practical and prepared in an instant, it’s ideal if you’re on the go or trying matcha for the very first time.

Matcha Ceremonial: Match is the choice of many a connoisseur of Japanese tea. Though today it’s not just reserved for special occasions, but can also be consumed and enjoyed every day and is especially flavoursome when used in cooking or in a smoothie. The taste is invigorating and rich in flavour; smooth and creamy as it slithers down the throat. When prepared and drank as a ceremonial tea, its thin frothy texture and intense taste can calm the mind and stimulate the soul encouraging you to live for the moment and to “be-here-now”.

Serving suggestion:

The following applies to GTA’s loose tea selection.

Add 2-3g (1 teaspoon) of leaves to a small teapot or tea strainer/sieve if using a mug. Boil water and cool to 80 degrees. Pour over leaves and infuse for the recommended time of 1 minute, or to taste.

Four Seasons: Add 1 teabag to a litre of water, cold or room temperature. Infuse for 4-5 minutes. Stir or shake. You’re then good to go.

Matcha ‘A’ Stick: Pour 300ml of cold water (or at room temperature) into a bottle. Add content of stick; shack well and then drink. It’s as easy as that!

Matcha Ceremonial: The best way to experience this premium tea is to prepare it in the correct manner it is supposed to be served… in a ceremonial tea bowl known as a chawan. Add 1-2 small scoops. Boil water and cool to 70 degrees. Gently ladle water into bowl and using a chasen (bamboo whisk), whisk until frothy. An alternative and more practical way to prepare this tea is to add a small scoop of the powdered tea straight into a cup/mug and mix with warm water. Stir well and drink once the tea has dissolved.

Value: There really is no faulting the quality of these teas. However, at £5.50 for just 15g of loose tea leaves and £5.99 for only 7 sticks of matcha, the price may be a concern. In a very competitive market, they are pretty highly priced. On the other hand, when it comes to tea, more often than not, you get what you pay for. If you’re okay with the cost, then you’ll be a happy customer indeed.

Summary:

Overall, GTA is a heavyweight brand that offers a fine selection of premium teas which is obviously aimed at the higher end of the market for those who truly appreciate quality when it comes to this popular beverage. As a lover of green tea I think it’s paramount for anyone trying this healthy everyday beverage for the very first time to select the right tea for them and to prepare it in the correct way – dunking a tea bag in a cup of boiling water simply will not do. Thus, GTA has something for everyone and you’re sure to find at least one type of tea from the range that will more than just quench your thirst. The brand’s presentation is more than presentable. The resealable packaging is simple but fetching to look at and easy to store. Oh, and the logo is pretty chic looking too. GTA is a champion brand for sure whose products will satisfy both the connoisseur and newbie.

To learn more about GTA’s journey into the world of green tea, to check out its full range of products and to order, hop on over to Green Tea Artisan’s website.  

Love tea? read our previous articles and reviews! Share your comments on your favourite teas below, join in the conversation on Facebook and follow us on Twitter

Spencer Lloyd Peet

Spencer has has made drinking healthy teas a part of his diet for 20 years and has a library of books on the subject that is continually growing. He's a writer, interviewer and photographer and regularly contributes to the popular culture magazines NEO and MyM. He has also written for wellbeing publications Soul & Spirit and Kindred Spirits among others. He is the creator and editor-in-chief of Diverse Japan (www.diversejapan.com). To find out more about Spencer and his photographic work, check out his website (www.slpeetphotography.com ).

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