I saw this tea the first time I looked at 52tea’s site and I wanted it, but it was sold out. This tea has gotta be awesome, I thought, right up my alley.
When more came available, I jumped on it and snagged a package.
Dried leaves: Looks like genmaicha… I don’t see any cherries..? Smells like… well.. sweet cherries. Like a cherry topping ontop of a cheesecake. OOhh yum!
Steeped: once I poured the hot water in, a cherry re-hydrated immediately and appeared in my steeper, cool! The tea colour is like.. well.. green tea. Smell is genmaicha with a hint of sweet.
Water temperature.. uhhh.. I have a fancy pants kettle and I used the “green tea” temperature. It’s in Fahrenheit and since I’m Canadian those numbers are jiberish, I have no idea what that meant or remembered what it was and too lazy to go downstairs to check when I can sit here and continue to drink tea. hehehe. Probably like 160f-170?
Taste: hint of cherry, hit of the rice/butteryness of the genmaicha mixed with green tea. The cherryness of the tea is very subtle, adding some sweetness to the mouth. I’m not getting the “cherry cheesecake” of this tea. So this comes up as a “slightly fruity and sweet genmaicha” tea instead of cherry cheesecake tea.
That re-hydrated cherry? yeah, don’t eat it. I ate mine and it was bitter horrible bruised tasted.
I know a few peeps that LOVE their genmaicha. Those peeps would LOVE this tea – adds a new dimension on this tea. I get genmaicha at sushi restaurants and often brew it with takehome/homemade sushi, but this one is too sweet for that. Maybe drink a cup when you are craving some green tea icecream.. oh yeah.
THATS AN IDEA – mix cherries/cookies/cheesecake chunks/vanilla in green tea icecream! Someone get on that!!!
Me? I like a genmaicha tea as staple in my house but unfortunately Cherry Cheesecake Genmaicha won’t replace that as it is a sweet tea. I find it too subtle for my liking, but it is a fine tea. I know a few people who would love this and I’m not in love with this tea so I’d end up giving it away to friends.
