★★★★☆
I don't like it much on its own (but that's just me, I don't tend to like green teas anyway), but I do enjoy blending it with others kinds of tea, especially minty flavors.
A classic green tea from Zhejiang province, China. Gunpowder, as the name implies, is made up of leaves hand-rolled into tiny pellets. These resemble gunpowder, and give this tea its distinct name. Full-bodied cup with a hint of smokiness.
Customers use these reviews to describe their experience with Gunpowder, including flavor, aroma, preparation preferences, strength, and how the tea fits into daily routines. Browse the full review history page by page to compare tasting notes, steeping tips, and favorite ways to enjoy this tea.
I don't like it much on its own (but that's just me, I don't tend to like green teas anyway), but I do enjoy blending it with others kinds of tea, especially minty flavors.
Its a very good basic green tea, nothing crazy but has standard green tea flavor
I got a sampler of this tea to make Moroccan Mint. It's great that way and makes a great cup alone. Totally worth keeping some on hand, even though my favorite go-to will always be jasmine green. Fans of smoky or grassy greens will find this a great daily cup.
Great green tea. This was a must have for the tea party.
I love the smokiness to this tea. This is the first time I have tried this tea without being blended with peppermint and i was very pleased.
I really like this tea, but you have to follow directions carefully! When they mean 180 degrees, they mean 180 degrees. I will have to invest in a thermometer or a better teakettle so I stop getting cups of bitter green tea.
Previous tastings of this type of tea left me underwhelmed, but I was surprised by how much I liked this particular one. I personally didn't get any of the 'smokey' flavor that others refer to, especially when compared with Sleeping Dragon, but I really loved the strong classic green tea flavor. Careful not to overbrew or it will get bitter. Overall a solid, durable, everyday green for great value.
I'm not sure I can review this properly, as I'm not sure if I've simply grown away from green teas or if I've simply lost my touch preparing them. Regardless I found this to be a bit grassy for me, and I have a grass allergy :|
This is the only tea I have purchased a huge quantity of so far. I got the 24oz shipment and thought there was no way I would finish all of it. I love this tea, and drink it daily. I definitely plan on re-ordering it when I finish it up soon.
Good, but not one of my favorites. Probably won't order again.
I've been drinking 2 - 3 (6 cup) pots of this tea per day for about two weeks. Still not bored of it. Must be really good.
This green tea is very smooth, I would buy it again!
This is a great green tea. It's very fresh, puts me in mind of a grassy field on a summer day. Don't steep too long or it will be bitter - follow the recommendations on water temp and steep time. My favorite green so far!
I loved this tea! It looks beautiful in pellet form and unfurled, and it has a refreshing veggie flavor that allowed for a few quality steeps. Will be repurchasing!
A nice gunpowder, not the best I have had but one of the better gunpowder's
Not my cup of tea. Gunpowder is extremely smoky. Your first cup tastes like ashtray, and later cups taste like diluted ashtray. It may be my own personal sensitivity, but I can't taste the tea through all the smoke.
I was concerned when I first smelled the tea that I might have brewed it too hot and scorched it because of the strong smoke smell. Fortunately, when I actually drank some it was still quite good. This tea is very traditional in my mind and tastes just as I'd expect a green tea to taste. It's a mildly smokey taste, but not to the point where it's overwhelming. This tea is a stellar blend that I'm definitely planning on ordering again.
I really like this tea as a base for others. I'm not saying it's not good on it's own - because it is - but I like a lot of different flavors in my tea. I mainly got this one to try mixed with the spearmint to make the Moroccan Mint tea, and it's really good in that. I'm looking forward to trying it with other teas as well.
Originally got this to make Moroccan Mint. Tried it plain as well - love it both ways. Be sure the water is cooled off enough before brewing for best flavor and aroma. Ashtray/bitter/overly-smokey flavor is from water too hot or over-steeping. Brewed properly, it's a delicate vegetal (spinach/seaweed) tea, worthy of three infusions, each with it's unique characteristics.
Very very nice! I love strong green teas, and this is definitely that. Definitely something I'm gonna come back and buy a large quantity of once my sample runs out. (Soon I'm sure.)
I really enjoy this tea. The reviews are right, it is a very 'smokey' flavor. I find that I get the best taste when it is hot. I tried it as iced tea and found it to be somewhat bitter. Very good price for this tea,
It has the smokiness but not the sweetness that I've come to associate with gunpowders. I don't know if I'm brewing it improperly or if it's just not for me. I'll need to figure that out - it would be helpful if Adagio included brewing suggestions on their website for those of us who use tins instead of the bags to store our tea.
A nice change of pace when looking to add variety to your green tea.
Gunpowder has a strong, clean taste. It's very smooth. I can see why people would like it. But it also has the characteristic 'spinach' taste of green tea. I'm beginning to suspect that it's green tea in general I don't like.
I was rarely able to brew a batch of this tea without noticeable astringency. Combined with the smoky overtones, the results were consistently vomitous.
Very good gunpowder, has the traditional smokiness, a nice full bodied green.
The tea that started it all for me. Can easily be enjoyed alone, with honey or steeped along with some mint for a tasty Morrocan Mint tea. Some experimentation needed on the mint to find the right mix/time/temp. Since the mints are usually 212 and 5-10 minutes, I think a 5 minute steep at 212 then add the green for a few minutes is the best method.
I just received my sample of this, and immediately boiled up some water to try it. I am very, very much in love with this tea. It reminds me of the green tea served at my favorite Japanese restaurant, with its satisfying smoky 'green' flavor. This tea is so good, it almost feels nourishing! I will definitely re-order.
This is a nice tasting green, not too bitter or earthy.
Wow, this is a green with a kick! Love the smoky flavor adding to the green taste. I like Sleeping Dragon a little bit more, it's a more subtle and complex taste, but this is very nice too. Going to try adding spearmint and seeing how it tastes soon.
One of the better lower end green teas that is great at its low price. Has a great leafy but smooth flavor.
I started a tea snob club at work :) Gunpowder is where it all began! It was the cup that convinced my friends that store bought tea bags should not enter tea conversations. Watch the water temp and time closely on this one to avoid any unpleasant overtones.
I find that I have to shorten the recommended steeping time to avoid getting a bitter taste. I occasionally add just a touch of sugar to sweeten it, but I usually prefer my teas plain.
Nice standard green tea. This is my every day green tea that I keep with me at work. Takes honey well.
My new favorite green tea. Even my roommate, who does not like green teas, and prefers Earl Grey to all else, calls it good stuff.
good for the price tea, holds up to 3 steeps, but over steeping is just horid so be careful. 175 at 1min 50sec 1st steep
This is the best gunpowder green I have ever tried. It brews fairly strong, as do most gunpowder green's, but it is not bitter. It is also very cheap! Overall, highly recommended.
Great green tea for the price. Happy how it was delivered. Will turn bitter if steeped too long
I like my teas strong and this definitely delivered. I do enjoy black teas more, but I think this would be good for those rare green tea moods.
At first I was not a fan of this tea, being as it's quite different than the lighter teas I was used to. That said, it's now one of my favorites up there with dragonwell.
Tastes AMAZING. I was never a green tea drinker, black tea was my thing, but this has completely changed my view. It might be my new favorite!( next to adagio's earl grey cream )
I drink probably 6 to 8 cups of tea every day... This Gunpowder variety isn't my favorite tea, but it doesn't have any faults and at the excellent price it makes for a great daily tea. To top it off, it holds up very well to multiple steeps and is quite forgiving. It also holds a fantastic aroma
As a former smoker, trust me when I say this tea tastes like an ashtray. When I read reviews from people wishing it were smokier, I can only assume these individuals were struck by lightning and have lost the sense of taste.
Best Gunpowder I've yet found. sweet green tea notes under a smokey and rich bouqet of floral notes.
A lovely, classic green that compliments any meal morning, noon, or night. Yielding well after multiple steeps is a plus!
Some people might think this tea tastes too grassy but I like having the stronger flavor. This teas will be a staple in our home now.
Awesome tea! Pretty strong, nutty aroma and taste
Excellent taste, not as vegetable like as sencha, but full bodied with a definite hint of smoke. I mixed this and sencha overture and WOW! Now that's one perfect cup of green tea!
It's always iffy on whether I'll enjoy a green tea...this one just isn't for me. It's a bit bold and overpowering for my tastes on its own. I'll use the remaining to mix with other flavors, as, for me, it serves to be a better compliment than lead.
I had been wanting to try this tea for a long time for its unique shape and name. It had a smokier after taste than I expected but it was still quite tasty.