Madagascar Vanilla Matcha

Yum yum yum. So I am trying (and often failing) to live a dairy free lifestyle, as dairy wreaks havoc on my system. But around this time of year, a mystical drink is brought out from shrouds of mystery…the Shamrock Shake. Long have I loved and adored this drink, my mother a huge fan of the creamy green goodness. We’re Scot-Irish, for heaven’s sake, it’s practically in our blood!

But after a few months of at least lessening the amount of dairy that enters my body, I know I cannot handle a milkshake, much less one of the ones from McDonalds. So my wife has been drinking them in secret, coming home with green lips and a minty fresh smile….the harlot!

But then I had a cup of this matcha. The vanilla-ness is right on, creamy, smooth and perfect. Intrigued, I dumped a scoop or two of it in with some soymilk and peppermint extract…oh my goodness. Shamrock Shake, I have missed you. It needs a bit of tweaking, I think I need the mint matcha from Red Leaf Teas to make this complete, the peppermint is too biting. And perhaps vanilla soy milk instead of unflavored…but yes. My quest for a Shamrock Shake has begun and it can only end in happy, happy tears! The matcha gives it the lovely green color and an added burst of energy as I spend my day researching and cooking a mass of dairy free soups. I am very impressed with Red Leaf Teas and their flavored matchas, and look forward to trying more! But I suspect vanilla will be a longstanding favorite.

Staying at work until really late at night has made me a bit of a grouch lately… Thankfully I have delicious tea at home to get me smiling again! Today was particularly exciting because my Red Leaf Tea order made it all the way to Ecuador! Yep, the entire box (I made a decently large order) made it! I am finally at home sipping my first cup of matcha and smiling as I type. What a great way to end a stressful day on a positive note!

I have always had a soft spot for vanilla, so this was an evident first choice. When placing my order, this went into my cart automatically. Admittedly it took me a few days to decide everything else I wanted to get, but this was where it all started! Each of the flavors comes in a little golden pouch and a pamphlet is included that explains how to make matcha (just in case you are new to it).

I did a bit of research to find out what the difference between Madagascar Vanilla and French Vanilla is. Apparently Madagascar Vanilla originates from Madagascar and is also known as Bourbon Vanilla and is supposed to be the creamiest of the vanilla beans. French Vanilla refers to a preparation of cream, egg, and vanilla rather than an actual type of vanilla bean. Also, on a side note, I read that vanilla is supposedly proved to increase production of catecholamines (which are naturally produced in your body, for example adrenaline!). It is thought that it may be mildly addictive because of this effect. I don’t think I have ever seen anyone addicted to vanilla… But I must admit that vanilla is my chocolate! I love it!

I opened the little package carefully. I was really curious to find out what exactly Madagascar Vanilla would smell like. It was creamy and smooth. The scent was stronger than I expected. I liked that it was prominent. The color of the powder was a pastel green. I quickly got some into my teacup. I was so afraid to spill something that smelled so delicious!
I added a bit of hot water to froth it up. It was fluffy in seconds after whisking! I added a bit more water to it and took a sip. The first thing I noticed was that it was super smooth. Next I was hit with delicious green tea flavor and rounded off with creamy vanilla. The texture and flavor worked so well together that it felt like drinking a vanilla milk shake with matcha in it! I love it!! I am afraid it will need to be re-ordered very soon…

You can read more about Madacascar Vanilla Matcha and purchase it here: http://www.redleaftea.com/matcha-tea/madagascar-vanilla-matcha.html

Thank you Kittenna for sharing some of this with me! Now all I want to do is place an order with Red Leaf Tea and get some other yummy matchas! I was looking at their site and there were so many options and I seem to be interested in the white matcha as well. I was seeing how things kept adding up and forced myself to close the site lol.

This is a lovely matcha so I am curious which you chose for the base! Yes you get to choose what grade of matcha you want and SO many flavors to pick from! Wow!

This here is so good its not an “in your face” vanilla but just the right touch to allow the yummy base to shine through. I think I have this whole matcha making thing figured out and now I am needing to purchase some more of this stuff. I can’t though as I do have enough plain matcha already but for some reason THIS matcha just seems better – the base itself seems of a higher quality I suppose.

SIGH okay maybe next month. Fingers crossed.

I’m so confused by this tea. I wanted to fall madly in love like everyone else seems to have. But I’m trying to figure out if I even like matcha, let alone vanilla-flavored matcha. I’ve only had matcha one other time, and it was in a traditional Japanese tea ceremony. It was part of my Japanese Civilization class in college. I think I liked it back then, but that was a long time ago…

Anyway, back to this matcha. It’s good. It’s spinachy and grassy. It’s noticeably vanilla. It’s very naturally flavored. There’s no weird aftertaste or funk. So, why don’t I love it? I tried it straight. I then added a tiny bit of sweetener. Then I tried frothing it in my milk frother. Finally, I added a little splash of skim milk. All of this tweaking helped squelch the grassiness. I’ve never really been of fan of green tea grassiness.

I think I would love this if I used it in cooking/baking. I can imagine amazing vanilla-flavored matcha icing on cupcakes (see DaisyChubb’s killer recipe here: http://www.daisychubb.com/recipe-chocolate-cupcakes-with-matcha-buttercream-chocolate-ganache/). I bet vanilla-flavored matcha scones would be good too. But this matcha by itself? Hmm, I think it’s something I’d have to learn to love. I don’t love it right now. I like it, and it’s definitely interesting. But it took me a good hour of slowly sipping on it to finish the cup.

Big thank you to Ninavampi for sharing her beloved matcha with me! I’m glad I got to try this before investing in a 30g bag. I think I’d enjoy a fruit flavored matcha more. So I’ll probably buy the strawberry one next with the strongest flavoring it comes with, which I believe would be “There’s matcha in there?!” I’ll let y’all know how that turns out, whenever I’m allowed to buy tea again that is. ;)

Alright I am finally sitting down and doing this review. It’s only been about a week since I received my Red Leaf Tea order, but I’ve had this tea three separate occasions since then. Every time I went to sit down and write a review – I was already finished my cup and I didn’t quite know what to say. I knew I wanted to thank aisling of tea for her amazing reviews of this company, and this matcha in particular. (thank you!)

I think I understand what took me so long. This is a seriously mysterious matcha. When I opened the package and took a whiff, I associated the sweet vanilla smell with something else, but I couldn’t quite put my finger on it. I whisked up a cup between 175-185 degrees – the matcha itself was bright, vegetal, creeeamy and full of vanilla deliciousness. Definite vanilla bean or real vanilla extract – a flavour that isn’t sweet but is associated with baking. When I bake with my 3 tablespoons+ of real vanilla – it always smells sooo delicious and sweet, but if you were to taste it itself – it doesn’t taste how it smells. That’s the opposite of this matcha – it really does taste how it smells – I think that’s where the mystery came from.

Finally I associated the smell with the matcha whipped shortbread I made a while back. Of course! It smells and tastes like delicious flour, sugar, matcha and vanilla! Since I ate over a dozen of those cookies, it’s now obvious where that taste association comes from haha. Love it. (You can find this matcha here: http://www.redleaftea.com/matcha-tea/madagascar-vanilla-matcha.html ).
I really want to do a comparison of this vs the new French Vanilla matcha. Subtle but delicious differences I’m sure!

Oh man I just got an awesome idea. Mini matcha shortbreads for summer, using the different flavours of matcha! Ah! I can’t wait to see how the flavour translates into a simple flour, butter, sugar cookie. Paired with an iced matcha. On the front porch. Okay I don’t have a front porch : ( But I have the makings of the rest of it :D

Today I mixed 1/2 tsp Madagascar Vanilla and ½ tsp Mango. Deeelish. Want to know a secret? It was so delicious and perfect that I drank the entire cup without realising I didn’t put any sugar in it. How sweet it is! It wasn’t bitter at all – because I accidentally let my water cool to 165 degrees. This is my new matcha sweet spot temp when I want to drink it straight up. I didn’t even want to make it into a latte – it was creamy and sweet – with the vanilla matcha it almost tasted like I already put milk in it. This isn’t my number one matcha choice, but it is PERFECT for blending!

I don’t know if I mentioned this in my other reviews – but this matcha (and the other varieties) has (have?) an amazing echo of taste. The aftertaste of the natural flavours lingers long after I’m finished the cup. To be honest, it kind of makes me crave more. If I wasn’t already bouncing off the walls with matcha energy, I might make more! No joke. This stuff packs a serious energy punch. I’ve been having it every morning! I feel lucky :)

Well I guess the crappiness of today has a second bright spot – the arrival of my matcha from Red Leaf Tea!

I’ll write a longer note later, but so far I’m sold. Having it as an agave-sweetened regular almond milk latte. The only concern? I swear it tastes like strawberry, not vanilla. But that could just be something funny that I’m tasting. It’s still delicious, and now I’m dying to try the actual strawberry one! And mango. And French vanilla. And…

ETA: Ok, so this was so much better than I was expecting! The flavouring tasted natural, not fake, and the matcha was obviously not low quality. The flavouring also didn’t overpower the lovely matcha flavour (I’m sure that might be a different story if I went for stronger flavouring options – which by the way is SUCH a good idea!) Another plus is that I didn’t find the matcha as bitter as straight matchas I’ve tried, so when mixed with regular almond milk, which is somewhat sweet, I definitely felt like extra sweetener was unnecessary. However, I needed an energy kick, so threw in a bit of agave syrup as well. The reduced bitterness also makes me feel like this might be a good matcha to try straight – which I haven’t been brave enough to try yet!

One of the best parts? I left about half my latte sitting in my car while I went to practice handbells with my group, and when i got back to my car it smelled SO WONDERFUL inside! And the smell is still lingering. It’s delightful. And definitely smells like vanilla, not strawberry, so who knows what’s up with my tastebuds.

I’m excited to dive into the world of Red Leaf’s flavored matchas! I sort of chose vanilla at random because there were so many that sounded good, and I’d never tried a flavored matcha before so I wasn’t sure what would go well with the pure green tea flavor of standard matchas. That seems like it would be a beast to try and flavor! But Red Leaf does it well, from what I hear.

I love a good vanilla flavoring, but this one is more subtle than most – more of a hint in the background than a loud presence. It adds a smooth sweetness compared to other unflavored matchas I have. As for the matcha itself, it’s quite delicious. A great example of matcha in general, without the astringency that’s put me off matcha before. You can tell they’ve used high quality green tea for this.

As for the whole presentation: the shipping is quick (and free if you order a 60g pack), and the tea comes in a foil bag that isn’t resealable, so have a small tin at the ready to transfer it over. Once I emptied mine into a tin I shook a bit of water into the packet just to make sure I got all the matcha-y goodness available to me.

I’m glad to have this in my cupboard and excited to try their other flavors! Maybe chocolate next?

I’m a fan of vanilla on all facets of its existence: the smell, the oddness of the pod, the picturesque orchid on which it grows. The history and mystique of the vanilla bean is as rich as its aroma; one of my favorite books is a history of the vanilla trade. And of course the taste! I used to make coconut milk ice cream with Madagascan vanilla beans every month for my family.
Despite its extremely difficult growing conditions and scarcity on a global scale, Madagascan vanilla is so soothing and ever present it is “plain vanilla.” It is the safe and sure option in western desserts. Challenged to pick a starting point in the dizzying array of Red Leaf Flavors, I naturally picked vanilla. Aren’t I a brave little toad? And I only spent twenty minutes picking between French or Madagascar!
This the real deal. The real vanilla bean! Every latte and crème cookie hints at the reality of this sleek and pure vanilla, matched by the clean grassiness of the matcha. I got the regular strength of flavoring since I love matcha as much as vanilla. The two most distinct flavors of my strange childhood of mixed heritage in powdered bliss! It’s just as sweet as ice cream too. Most people think matcha is quite bitter, this version is great for those who need to limit their sugar, like me.
I got into the habit of sprinkling matcha on my post-ride ice cream but I can’t enjoy ice cream in the winter. Red Leaf’s Madagascan Vanilla Matcha (available at http://www.redleaftea.com/matcha-tea/madagascar-vanilla-matcha.html) is my cold weather vanilla fix. Unfortunately hot ice cream is sickening syrupy and overwhelming. This matcha, however, it as comforting and delightful as summer ice cream. I find it interesting that Red Leaf says it’s therapeutic for anxiety, as I’ve long held the same belief, but never seen it listed as anti-anxiety in herbals. Can fault this matcha at all? Nope. This matcha is a wonderful reminder of the sweet and simple things in life that make it worth the effort.

For the past two days every time I walk past my tin of Red Leaf Tea’s Madagascar Vanilla Matcha, I have to stop and smell it. It really is an indescribable wonderful smell!
I have had this Matcha in Red Leaf’s “2 in 1” option combined with Caramel Matcha and it was heaven. This time around I bought each of those flavors separately so I could use them individually or combined. This past weekend, my awesome daughter bought me a Magic Bullet blender because I have been so into making tea based drinks and smoothies etc. Already I have used this amazing flavored Madagascar Vanilla Matcha to make some super scrumptious smoothies. This morning I added it to a peach greek yogurt smoothie and it was delicious. Vanilla goes so well with so many fruits such as strawberries, blueberries and raspberries. Or this Matcha is spectacular all by itself, hot or cold. This flavor Matcha remains my top favorite and I believe I will be reordering this probably every order I place with Red Leaf because you just can’t go wrong with this one. (Perhaps I should give Red Leaf’s French Vanilla Matcha a chance though!)
Besides tasting so yummy, one cup of Matcha tea is equivalent to ten cups of green tea, so the health rewards are astronomical!
This Matcha tea can be purchased here:
http://www.redleaftea.com/matcha-tea/madagascar-vanilla-matcha.html

Added a bit of chai matcha and all I can say is wow! Creamy, real vanilla=yummy:)

Backlogging a bit here:

First off thanks to aisling of tea whose review piqued my interest enough to pursue this tea! :)

The idea of a flavored matcha did boggle me at first. Accustomed to the lively, fresh vegetation taste of traditional matchas I was worried what flavoring might do to something already so close to perfection!

My concerns were unnecessary, it would appear because this stuff is delicious!! It’s still quality matcha at it’s base, so there’s no attempts at adding flavoring to mask an inferior tea here. It’s delicious!! And as I was unfamiliar with Madagascar Vanilla as well I’m going to have to borrow from aisling of tea here and agree that it does have a full, decadent richness about it similar to french vanilla. It’s easy to see such a succulent treat coming from the wild and windy, rainy island.

Even better still is Red Leaf’s system. Rarely in tea pursuits does the tea drinker have so much control over the cup they’re about to enjoy. Variation in blends and batches are bound to deeply affect the range of flavors from steep to steep. But fret no more! Red leaf puts the power back in your hands! You get to choose not only the flavor of the matcha itself, but from a selection of the base matcha’s quality, the flavor potency, and storage options. It’s your perfect matcha in your ideal world.

Try this delicious tea here:
http://www.redleaftea.com/matcha-tea/madagascar-vanilla-matcha.html

Or choose from pretty much any other flavor + matcha combination under the sun at their website.

All in all, a wonderful treat to start the day or to pick you up halfway through!!

I will admit that I have only had 2 cups of this (found here: http://www.redleaftea.com/matcha-tea/madagascar-vanilla-matcha.html) since it arrived! I thought I should give it another try before I write a review of it, but my feelings haven’t changed a whole lot. I am wondering if I should have picked “distinctive” for my flavour profile, because while I get a slight aroma and flavor of vanilla it isn’t as strong as I expected, especially when I compared it to the mango matcha that I tried first.

I certainly would not classify this as a “blah” tea, but when I want something flavoured it isn’t what I’ll reach for. I made some before work today, and as it cooled (I find it gets better as it cools) I just kept thinking that it tasted like extra smooth regular matcha. Like a toned-down on the grassiness matcha, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. I think this would be perfect for someone who has been newly introduced to matcha, or for someone who maybe had a bad first experience. If I had tried this as my first matcha, I think I would have thought “Ooh….matcha is awesome!”. What I really thought was: “This is interesting….but I think I need to try more before I decide.”

The Madagascar Vanilla is definitely something that I can see being great in baking or smoothies, and I have read about a few people mixing it with other flavours such as mint (that may be something I need to try in the future!). I can also see it being a go-to tea to make when I’m not sure exactly what I want. I do wonder though how different the French Vanilla matcha is from the Madagascar Vanilla. I may have to place another order soon to compare…

The best thing about this matcha is that it seems to be pretty versatile…I feel like I could probably use it to extend the life of some other kinds if I really wanted to. The taste is mellow and smooth, and there is no artificial taste to the vanilla flavoring. I recently noticed that on the Red Leaf Tea website they have an option for a “2 in 1 custom matcha”, and I think this would be a really awesome option to use as one of the flavors. I’m not sure I will pick up more of this when it is gone, but that is more due to the fact that there are so many different kinds that I want to try. I could see me coming back to this sometime in the future.