While the question of what does green tea taste like is really difficult to understand until you’ve tried it, we’re going to attempt to shed some light on the matter in this article.
Without further ado, let’s dive in and learn how does green tea taste 🍵
What Does Green Tea Taste Like - Video
If you want to know what does green tea taste like the best way to learn is by watching this video. If you’d prefer to read, we'll walk you through what does green tea taste like in the next section.
What Does Green Tea Taste Like - at a glance
When people ask us what does green tea taste like, the first thing we do is pull out this flavor chart for Japanese green teas. As you can see, every Japanese green tea from the sweet and savory gyokuro to the bold, toasty hojicha tastes completely different.
A green tea taste can be either bitter or sweet depending on how the plants are cultivated and picked, and they can be either green or roasted depending on how the teas are heated after harvest.
This is the level 1 version of what does green tea taste like, but in the next section we’re going to get a bit more advanced.
What Does Green Tea Taste Like - 7 Green Tea Flavors
If you're wondering, what does green tea taste like, just keep in mind that the green tea taste profile can be broken up into 7 distinct categories. These green tea flavors will become more or less prevalent depending on the type of tea you are drinking.
Sweet Green Tea Flavors
If you're wondering what does green tea taste like, you'll want to understand the compound "theanine". Theanine is the dominant amino acid in tea leaves and it’s the primary cause of these sweet and savory flavor profiles.
How a tea is shaded will most likely determine where it is positioned on the sweetness spectrum. Teas shaded for a longer time like Kabuse Sencha will have more of these green tea flavors.
Salty Green Tea Taste
Believe it or not, some Japanese green teas can even take on a salty flavor. This green tea taste can be found in Gyokuro, as the tea is often described as having a marine or seaweedy taste profile. This is not to say that the tea has any sodium in it, but it rather shares taste characteristics with foods that are typically salty like soup or dried seaweed snacks.
When you ask what does green tea taste like, some consideration has to be made for the minerality of the tea, and sometimes this manifests as a saltiness in the flavor.
Sour or Acidic Green Tea Flavors
how does green tea taste of course depends on the type of tea we are referring to. Sourness exists in some teas but not others. A lot of times a shincha will have this tart, berry flavor that can be quite enjoyable.
Shincha is the first tea to be harvested in the early spring of each year, and its made from the youngest sprouts of the tea plant. This tea has a higher concentration of nutrients, and it does tend to be sweeter, but the tart or sour flavor is still there.
Bitter Green Tea Flavors
When a tea is exposed to the sunlight, it begins to convert this sweet and savory theanine into more bitter catechins. Because Gyokuro is a shade grown tea, it is able to retain much more of this theanine, but unshaded sencha teas will have this bitter green tea taste.
A bitter green tea can begin to take on a citrusy flavor profile, almost like a bitter grapefruit. It also has an astringency, which can create a drying sensation in the mouth. One theory states that as the astringent components of the tea bind with the protein in your saliva, you notice a “puckering” effect similar to when you drink a dry red wine or eat a citrus fruit.
Dry or Astringent Green Tea Taste
When it comes to how does green tea taste, there is always a balance between sweetness and dryness. A lot of tea drinkers prefer drier teas to sweeter teas because of this intense “physicality” or how the tea actually interacts with your mouth.
Because this unshaded sencha tea is so low in theanine and so high in catechins, it sits on the lower end of the spectrum.
Umami Green Tea Flavors
The savory or umami flavor is something that may come up a lot if you ask someone what does green tea taste like. We normally associate this savory flavor as only coming from foods and not from drinks. In the case of Japanese cuisine, this savory flavor is not only celebrated in the food, but also in the tea as well.
This savory flavor comes from the amino acids in the tea leaf like l-theanine. We associate this umami flavor with protein rich foods, but proteins are just a collection of amino acids. Shaded teas like gyokuro and matcha powder can be rich in these amino acids and it can really contribute to the taste.
Vegetable Green Tea Flavors
If you were to ask how does green tea taste, one of the first words that might come up is "vegetal". Tea is made from a leaf, which technically makes it a vegetable. Japanese green teas, particularly Fukamushi Sencha, tend to have these steamed vegetable notes like sweet corn, edamame and spinach.
The Fukamushi teas are easy to spot because of their vibrant, cloudy green color. They are steamed for an even longer time, which breaks down the cell membranes of the plant and allows more of it to flow into the cup. This allows them to produce more of these steamed vegetable green tea flavors.
What Does Green Tea Taste Like? 7 Types Explained
When you ask what does green tea taste like, it’s important to specify which tea.
We’re going to break down 7 of th most popular green tea types and explain what each of them taste like.
1. Matcha – Savory Sweetness & Umami
Wondering how does green tea taste when it’s powdered? Matcha is made from shade-grown tea leaves that are finely ground, resulting in a rich, creamy cup.
The shading process preserves higher levels of theanine, which delivers a sweet and savory flavor. Matcha can be described as having a smooth, vegetal flavor, slightly citrusy with a savory finish.
Key Flavor Notes:
Sweet/Umami: Thanks to abundant amino acids (like theanine)
Slight acidity: From the catechins and polyphenols
Vegetal Undertones: Reflecting its powdered whole-leaf origin
2. Sencha – Balanced Sweetness & Bitterness
If you’re curious what does green tea taste like in its most classic form, look no further than sencha. This Japanese green tea gets more sunlight than gyokuro and matcha, causing sweet theanine to convert into slightly drier catechins.
The result can be a lively mix of sweetness, citrus, and a hint of dryness. Some senchas also reveal a mild vegetal flavor reminiscent of steamed greens.
Key Flavor Notes:
Bitter and sweet: Balanced by the ratio of theanine to catechins
Astringent: Can produce a pleasant “puckering” sensation
Vegetal: Particularly in deeper-steamed varieties like fukamushi sencha
3. Gyokuro – Salty & Umami-Rich
What does green tea taste like when its loaded with theanine? Gyokuro is a premium, shade-grown tea often described as having a “marine” or salty element—though it contains no actual sodium.
It’s also bursting with umami, thanks to its high concentration of amino acids. The taste can be described as a delicate balance of sweet melon, savory greens, and a touch of sea.
Key Flavor Notes:
Salty/Marine: Evokes seaweed or broth-like flavors
Umami: Resulting from extended shading, which boosts amino acids
Subtle Sweetness: From theanine, balanced by mild bitterness
4. Hojicha – Roasted & Nutty
What does green tea taste like when it is roasted? Hojicha gets these toasty, nutty and coffee flavors because the leaves or stems are roasted at high temperatures.
Roasting reduces the tea’s bitter and vegetal notes, making hojicha smoother with a warm, comforting aroma..
Key Flavor Notes:
Roasted/Nutty: From the high-temperature roasting process
Low Bitterness: Roasting mellows out catechins
Hint of Sweetness: A subtle sweetness lingers in the background
5. Genmaicha – Toasted Rice & Subtle Sweetness
What does green tea taste like when you mix it with rice? Genmaicha blends green tea (often bancha or sencha) with toasted rice, creating a unique toasty and slightly sweet flavor.
The roasted rice adds nutty notes that balance any bitter or astringent qualities from the tea leaves, so it is a perfect choice for people that are new to tea.
Key Flavor Notes:
Roasted/Toasty: From the toasted rice
Mild Sweetness: The rice starches help soften the tea’s astringency
Lightly Vegetal: Depends on the base tea (bancha or sencha)
6. Kukicha – Sweet & Refreshing
What does green tea taste like when you use the stems of the tea plant? Drink kukicha to find out! The stems don’t contain as many polyphenols or chlorophyl, so kukicha can be surprisingly sweet with a mild flavor of spring grass or straw.
Kukicha is a refreshing, lighter choice for those exploring how does green tea taste across different varieties.
Key Flavor Notes:
Gentle Sweetness: Stems naturally have more carbohydrates
Low Bitterness: Fewer catechins compared to leaf-based teas
Subtle Vegetal Hints: Still recognizable as a green tea, but with milder notes of straw
7. Bancha – Mild & Slightly Bitter
Bancha is harvested later in the season from more mature leaves, giving it a milder but sometimes slightly bitter flavor. It generally has fewer amino acids (leading to less sweetness) and more catechins (leading to higher bitterness) compared to younger-leaf teas like sencha or gyokuro.
Bancha also can carry a soft vegetal quality, but it’s often enjoyed for its straightforward, no-frills green tea taste. You may find that it tastes a bit more subdued and earthy, with notes of wood.
Key Flavor Notes:
Mild Bitterness: Leaves are older and exposed to more sunlight
Lightly Vegetal: Not as pronounced as fresher or younger teas
Less Sweetness: Lower theanine content than early-season harvests
Building your palate by comparing teas and testing
If you really want to answer the question what does green tea taste like, there is no substitute for experience. If you want to really get an idea for the vast array of different green tea flavors, you can try out one of our Japanese tea samplers.
This sampler includes 30 different kinds of matcha, gyokuro, hojicha, sencha, kukicha, bancha, genmaicha and kamairicha so you can really get a sense of how subtle differences in the production of the tea can really lead to different flavors. Hopefully this will be able to help you answer the question what does green tea taste like.
Final Thoughts on What Green Tea Taste Like
Ultimately, what does green tea taste like varies from one type to another. Some teas are sweet and creamy, others can be bracingly bitter or dry, and a few even hint at a salty or sour sensation. By tasting a variety of green teas, you’ll discover which flavor profiles you prefer, and you’ll gain a true appreciation for this diverse and beloved beverage.c
