So, I thought I would do a side-by-side comparison of this tea and the Ujinotsuyu Genmaicha I reviewed the other day. As a side note, Ujinotsuyu’s Genmaicha is a cheaper Genmaicha you can find in Asian supermarkets. I get it at around $5.50 for a 400g bag. I know it’s not exactly a viable comparison since this contains matcha, but whatever, a Den’s vs grocery store tea death match shall happen.
I steeped both for thirty seconds and in the same type of glass. Right away I noticed the difference in the colours of the liquors. I normally drink my tea in a solid-coloured mug. Through the clear glasses, Ujinotsuyu’s is a clear, muted brownish-yellow colour, while Den’s is more translucent and greener. It kind of reminds me of Gatorade but not as electric.
As expected, Den’s smells grassier. Still toasted, but that matcha boosts the scent of the tea above the roasted rice. Ujinotsuyu’s, on the other hand, is basically mostly toasty with a hint of green tea.
Den’s even tastes grassier upon the first sip or two. The rice is in the background, however, the taste of the matcha and Bancha are not as vegetal as the scent. Yet, the more I sip this, and the more this cools off, the more the roasted rice pops. It slowly catches up to the tea flavours and that slightly vegetal bite fades. This definitely has more flavour than Ujinotsuyu’s, but because the matcha makes the green tea flavours more vivid, whereas Ujinotsuyu’s is more delicate on the overall, but in a way, more well-rounded if you’re specifically looking for that toastiness.
Both teas have their merits. Den’s has a fresher taste due to the pop of matcha and reminds me of spring, while the other tea reminds me of a warm, crackling fire in the winter.
