First cup of the afternoon! I’ve not had any genmaicha in a while, so I was feeling the love today when I came across this one in my “soon to drink” box. Also, the idea of a blueberry sandstorm is actually somewhat appealing, for reasons I don’t quite understand.
Both the liquor and the initial sip and very heavy on the blueberry. This pretty much had me jumping for joy, because blueberry teas that actually taste of blueberry seem to be a rare thing indeed. The blueberry here is sweet and flavour-accurate, too – not candy-like, or tart, or sour round the edges. It’s goldilocks blueberry – just right. The toasted rice emerges mostly in the mid-sip, along with a small hit of cinnamon. I’d actually say it’s more of a popcorn flavour than toasted rice, per say – it’s not as heavy or overpowering on the palate as some genmaicha blends I’ve tried recently. It’s a gentle, lightly toasty flavour and it complements the blueberry instead of overwhelming it. Blueberry and cinnamon never occurred to me as a combination, but I’m pleased to discover that they work well. There’s a gentle spicy warmth, the sweetness of the blueberry, and a popcorn/sugar puffs vibe from the toasted rice. It’s a great dessert tea.
1 tsp, 2 minutes, approx. 175 water. No additions.
