Gyokuro Shincha is a lovely first harvest of the year from the Shizouka foothills of Mount Fuji. The dry leaf aroma offers soft, cozy, nut-like umami and hints of sweetness. In the cup, it is complex and yet subtle. Whispers of sweet grass and clover, soft nuttiness and a breathy, semi-crisp floral finish delight the palate. Harmonious and well-balanced.

Gyokuro and Sencha: A Guide for Tea Enthusiast

Kimberley K November 21, 2024

Discover the unique characteristics of Gyokuro and Sencha teas as we delve into their cultivation, processing, and flavors to help you choose your perfect Japanese green tea!

IDiscover our array of authentic yixing teapots. Each is handcrafted and designed for gongfu steeping.

Gongfu Magic: Picking the Perfect Clay Teapot

Kimberley K June 21, 2024

Discover the secrets to selecting the perfect clay teapot for gongfu style brewing and elevate your tea experience to a whole new level!

Darjeeling - the "champagne of tea" with its complex cup, is best appreciated when the newest harvest, or "first flush" arrives in early spring. Our selection for this year is again from the beautiful Rohini estate and grown at 2500 feet from the early producing BB157 cultivar. A cool March has developed wonderful floral notes in a blossomy cup with a gentle finish. Hints of classic muscatel peek through as it cools while this tea lingers on the palate - a wonderful reminder of spring after a long grey winter. Only available limited quantities and best enjoyed fresh from the garden so order soon!

Perfect Pluck: Mastering Tea Quality

Kimberley K May 16, 2024

Discover the hidden art of tea picking and learn how it shapes the quality and flavor of your favorite brews!

Dating back to the Ming Dynasty, the gaiwan is a traditional brewing vessel that literally translates to "lid and bowl". Our Classic Gaiwan is made of white glazed porcelain and consists of three parts: a saucer, bowl, and lid. The gaiwan is a preferred brewing vessel for loose teas as it allows for the appreciation of delicate aromas emanating from the fragrant leaves.

Taste-Off Tactics: Mastering Tea Comparison

Kimberley K May 10, 2024

Discover the secret to unlocking the hidden depths of your favorite teas through the thrilling world of A-B tasting—where every sip reveals a new twist!

Mastering Tea Preservation: Japanese Teas

Kimberley K April 19, 2024

Unlock the secrets to preserving the vibrant flavors of Japanese green teas and elevate your tea-drinking experience to new heights!

How To Write Better Tasting Notes

Kimberley K October 11, 2023

As you grow your tea collection, you may wish to document thorough tea tasting notes. Use this guide to start your tea tasting adventure!

Chasens are produced using one piece of bamboo and creating them is a long process that is usually taken on by one person completely by hand.

How To Care For A Chasen (Matcha Whisk)

Kimberley K May 18, 2023

How to use, care, and store for your Chasen (matcha whisk) properly to get better matcha!

Matcha, the focal point of the Japanese Tea Ceremony, is a fine powder made by grinding green tea leaves. Only the finest, young, shade-grown gyokuro tea leaves are used to create matcha. The leaves are plucked and laid out flat to dry. Veins are removed and the leaves, now called tencha, are carefully ground in granite mills until they become the precious powder. Easy preparation is achieved by placing 1 teaspoon of matcha per cup (or to taste) in a cup, adding a few drops of hot water (160-180F) and stirring with a spoon until a paste forms. Add the rest of the water and stir.

Classic Japanese Tea Ceremony Tools

Kimberley K March 02, 2023

Here, we will be zeroing in on the traditions and history behind the specific teaware and tools used to prepare matcha traditionally.

A quick, economical alternative to bottled water for better tasting tea. Removes up to 80% of chlorine and 70% limescale from tap water in seconds, dramatically improving the taste of tea and other beverages. It's also very quick, removing impurities at twice the speed of similar products. The cost savings are even more impressive. Its 60-day filters (one included free) will save you 90% of the cost of bottled water. A digital indicator will signal when these should be changed.

The Importance of Using the Correct Water

Kimberley K January 26, 2023

Hard water, soft water, filtered water, what produces the best cup of tea?

Everything You Need to Know About New Taipei Teas

Kimberley K November 17, 2022

Learn more about this region and the teas it has to offer!

Our 2022 Sencha Shincha is a delight for sencha enthusiasts. Its lightly steamed (asamushi) style preserves crisp floral notes, while still offering the classic and treasured umami notes for which sencha is revered. Hailing from Shizouka Prefecture, home of Mount Fuji, this tea was masterfully grown and processed to yield complexity in the form of sweet grass, warming nut notes, and the lingering nuance of apricot blossoms. Sip slowly and sit quietly with this tea to fully enjoy its riches.

Everything You Need to Know About Senchadō

Kimberley K October 20, 2022

Did you know that there are multiple types of Japanese Tea Ceremonies? Let's dive into Senchadō!

Ruby #18 is a unique cultivar from Taiwan, and a relatively new invention, only surfacing in the late twentieth century after over fifty years of research. A cross between a wild Formosa tea plant and an Assam from Burma, it was developed specifically with the intent to make phenomenal black tea.

A Deep Dive into Formosa Ruby 18 Black

Kimberley K September 16, 2022

A relatively new innovation in the tea world - let us introduce this unique Red Jade sensation out of Long Tan, Taiwan!

Discover Master's Teas array of authentic yixing teapots. Each is handcrafted and designed for gong fu brewing inside or out.

6 Tips to Brewing Gongfu Outdoors

Kimberley K August 11, 2022

Can't resist the great outdoors but don't want to miss your afternoon tea? Here are some tips and tricks to bring the brewing experience with you!

This rare Formosa Superior Fancy Bai Hao is a true treat for the senses. The leaves are quite tippy with a fragrant bouquet when dry. Once brewed the cup is one of peach blossoms with a lingering honey note.

Everything You Need to Know about Wen Shan Oolongs

Kimberley K July 21, 2022

Starting a deep dive into oolongs- let's look at the region of Wen Shan, Taiwan and two delicious teas to try!

Gyokuro, a shade-grown steamed green tea, is among the finest of Japanese teas. While the young leaves of the spring season develop, the Gyokuro plants are shaded from the sun for several weeks. This slows the growth allowing tea leaves more time to develop depth and flavor. The sun-deprived leaves are higher in chlorophyll, which explains their vivid green color. They're also higher in amino acids, most notably L-theanine, which accounts for the perfectly smooth, rich and soft flavor.

Everything you Need to Know About Gyokuro

Kimberley K June 30, 2022

Learn all about Gyokuro including its history, cultivation, production, preparation, and more!

Shop online with Adagio for fine traditional and flavored matchas sourced directly from Japanese artisan farmers and brimming with antioxidants.

Everything You Need to Know about Matcha: Origins

Kimberley K June 10, 2022

Let's break down Matcha! It's history, cultivation, processing, and even tips on how to make it at home.

Find symptom relief with the help of peppermint and chamomile the next time a migraine hits.

5 Teas To Soothe Migraines

Kimberley K May 26, 2022

Migraines are brutal, but these five teas may help you seek the relief that you're looking for.

Shincha - 新茶 or "new tea" refers to the first flush of tea leaves harvested after the dormant winter months.

Everything You Need To Know About Shincha

Kimberley K April 21, 2022

Learn what shincha is, how it is picked and processed, and most importantly- how to prepare it.

Master's Teas Ali Shan Special is buttery and amazingly rich. It brews a very complex, silky cup that speaks of its high altitude origin and beautiful tender leaves.

Everything You Need to Know about Ali Shan

Kimberley K March 02, 2022

Let's get in depth around this beautiful, buttery, floral oolong!

In addition to helping a lot of minimizing wastefulness, the pleasant aroma of roasting green tea helped merchants entice more customers into their shops. Once tea drinkers tasted Hojicha, they were enchanted by its character.

Everything You Need to Know about Hojicha

Kimberley K January 20, 2022

Don't let appearances deceive you! Hojicha is a green tea. Learn more about this classic Japanese green tea that's been roasted into toasty goodness!

While Omotesenke do not whisk the Matcha anywhere near as much, they still have foam in their matcha but the aim is to have about 50% foam and 50% not foam, producing windows into the tea and creating what looks like a pond or a lake, hence the name pond style whisking.

Pond Style Whisking Method for Matcha

Kimberley K December 30, 2021

Calling all Matcha enthusiasts! Learn about two Japanese Schools of Tea and a great whisking method to try.

Anxi Wulong Low Fire offers a complex floral flavor, lightly sweet and crisp. A perfect choice for while it’s still cold outside and the magic of the holidays is in the air.

Master Teas Gift Guide

Kimberley K December 09, 2021

Need help deciding what to pick up for the tea-lover in your life? This is the perfect place to start!

Though Matcha is now often seen as traditionally Japanese, it was actually Chinese Zen monks who originally considered grinding dried green tea leaves into a powder and mixing it directly into water.

Matcha and Meditation: A Practice of Mindfulness

Kimberley K November 18, 2021

Two peas in a pod - matcha and meditation. Learn a bit about how matcha came to be, and how to start you own matcha meditative practice!

The best ways to prepare it - As I have said throughout all of my posts for this on-going series it is always best to prepare traditional Japanese teas in teaware that is also traditional to them, like this kyusu.

Everything You Need to Know about Sencha

Kimberley K October 28, 2021

Learn more about this elegantly rolled green tea from Japan!

Adagio offers two versions of their Genmaicha, one on their Adagio site and a Shincha Genmaicha on their Masters Teas site.

Everything You Need to Know about Genmaicha

Kimberley K September 02, 2021

Learn more about this Japanese classic green tea with a hint of toasty flavor featuring popped rice!

Kukicha is produced using the leaves, twigs and stems of the tea plant.

Everything You Need to Know about Kukicha

Kimberley K July 22, 2021

Learn more about this warm, rounded, and playful green tea from Japan!

Did you know that there are two ways in which you can prepare Matcha?

Beginner's Guide to Koicha: Thick Matcha

Kimberley K May 13, 2021

Did you know that there are two ways in which you can prepare Matcha? The Matcha you are probably familiar with is usucha (thin tea), but today we look at koicha (thick tea): what it is, how to prepare it, and other uses!