Jillian

So this is the Takgoti tea I’ve been waiting to try. Now I’ve finally been given the chance to see if Samovar lives up to its lofty reputation or not. ;)

The dry tea smells mostly of matcha, a thick, grassy sort of smell with a hint of toasted grains. I accidently put my nose too close and inhale a bit of the green powder. Cue a violent coughing fit.

With my eyes and nose still running, I manage somehow to add the water without spilling or scalding myself. Instantly my senses are bombarded with the smell of toasted grains. It’s a rich, powerful, savory scent that rivals any of the genmaichas I’ve ever tried. My mug is black so I can’t really see the tea colour well, but even so I can see the water turn a cloudy green.

Now here it comes…the moment of truth….Drum roll please.

The taste is fascinatingly complex. I do get the roasted grains flavour at the tip of each sip, but not as strongly as I was expecting from the scent. Then the flavour fades into something like matcha but not quite. It’s lightly grassy with a thick, milky sort of feel in my mouth, but it lacks the bitter-grass tang that straight matcha will give you. The after taste is more roasted grains and tasting it is making me feel a bit hungry almost.

This is a lovely, complex tea; it wasn’t quite what I was expecting, but then I have no idea what exactly I was expecting. It’s a delicious-tasting savory tea that has a surprisingly amout of body and presence for a green tea. This is no delicate little Dragonwell! Two thumbs up Takgoti, I think you have excellent taste! :)