Part 1: The Best Loose Leaf (For Flavor)
If you want the full health benefits and the complex taste (Umami), you have to go loose leaf. These are the gold standards for Japanese and Chinese styles.
1. Ippodo Tea "Sayaka" Sencha
Ippodo is a Kyoto institution with over 300 years of history. Their "Sayaka" blend is the perfect introduction to Sencha. It is deep emerald green, smells like ocean air and steamed spinach, and has a rich, savory "Umami" broth that you simply cannot get from a tea bag.
- Incredible Umami (savory) taste
- Vibrant green color
- High antioxidant content
- Must be brewed at 70°C (not boiling!)
- Short shelf life (consume quickly)
2. Dragon Well (Longjing)
While Japanese tea is steamed, Chinese Longjing is pan-fried in a wok. This stops the oxidation but creates a beautiful toasted chestnut flavor. The leaves are flat and smooth like sword blades. It is much more forgiving to brew than Sencha and doesn't get bitter easily.
- Sweet, chestnut flavor
- Beautiful flat leaves
- Harder to over-brew
- Authentic "Pre-Qingming" is expensive
- Lighter body than Japanese tea
3. Jasmine Dragon Pearls
These aren't flavored with oils; they are scented by layering tea leaves with fresh jasmine blossoms overnight, then hand-rolled into pearls. When you drop them in water, they unfurl magnificently. The scent is intoxicatingly floral but the taste remains clean and sweet.
- Beautiful to watch brew
- Natural floral scent (no fake oils)
- Good for multiple infusions
- Can be pricey for high grade
- Takes longer to open up
Part 2: The Best Tea Bags (For Convenience)
Sometimes you just need a quick cup at work. These options balance convenience with quality.
4. Teapigs Mao Feng Green Tea
Teapigs uses "Mao Feng" tea, which is a high-quality Chinese varietal. The key difference here is the "temple" bag—it contains whole leaves, not dust. This gives a much smoother, peach-like flavor compared to standard gritty tea bags.
- Whole leaf quality in a bag
- Plastic-free packaging
- No bitterness
- Expensive per cup
5. Pukka Supreme Matcha Green
This isn't pure green tea; it's a clever blend of Sencha, Oolong, and Matcha powder. This gives it a "superfood" kick. The matcha powder dissolves into the water, giving you a stronger antioxidant dose than a regular steeping bag.
- Includes Matcha powder boost
- 100% Organic
- Very accessible taste
- Can be "dusty" due to the powder
- Not a single-origin tea
6. Clipper Organic Green Tea
If you drink 5 cups a day, you need Clipper. It is Fairtrade, Organic, unbleached, and very affordable. It has a classic, clean green tea taste. Just be careful—because the particles are small (fannings), it infuses fast. Do not leave the bag in for more than 2 minutes!
- Unbeatable price
- Fairtrade & Organic
- Plastic-free bags
- Gets bitter very quickly
- Lacks complexity
The Verdict
- For the Connoisseur: Buy Ippodo Sencha. It's a true Japanese experience.
- For the Office: Buy Teapigs Mao Feng. High quality with zero mess.
- For the Budget: Buy Clipper Organic. You can't go wrong for the price.