a 'green-leafy' delight

It should be known that rishi tea, established and existing in Bayview, Milwaukee Wisconsin - hefty hometown holla - is a remarkable institution for the aficionados of tea.  Eliminating the so-called middleman, Rishi members go straight to the farm in countries including, but not solely, China, Japan, India, etc.  Doing business with the farmers and leaf pickers, Rishi samples, determines and focuses on the finest sources to use consistently in their extensive tea offerings.

As I like to introduce myself, I AM an Earl Gray man;  from the taste, the nose, and the color, I appreciate the bergamot enriched black tea leaves to the core.  But I recently (this morning) came across Rishi's Ancient Tree Snow Sprout Green Tea, which has left me in a more than excited state.  Giving of a mildly green bouquet, the taste follows suit but with a complexity that is found only in great tea.  Reminding me of a green steeped in honey (after looking at rishi's detail on the tea, the hints of honey are actually a characteristic of the Snow Sprout), I'm left with little surprise regarding my interest.  Looking at the leaves above, gently wrapped with a pale pale hint of green, the leaves, upon closer inspection, have a slight velvety quality to both eye and finger.  The color, too, appears as if a deep golden honey has been stirred into the liquid.  The taste, being pleasantly mellow, with very little tannic quality, gives a lightly "green tea" taste.  The tea takes its origin in the Yunnan province and is considered a "superior sun-dried green," and can only be harvested during a brief time in the snowing period in spring.  The tree itself is rather ancient, and the community's well fair is dependent on the harvest of its precious leaves.

Top notch tea.  Delicious.