I can’t believe I haven’t touched this one yet! Since Den’s food pairing suggestions haven’t steered me wrong yet, I paired this with a fatty lunch (French onion soup!). The dry leaf smells very nutty, much more so than the Bancha Houjicha. The brewed tea smells very similar, and it’s so roasty that it almost reminds me of a campfire.
Surprisingly, the taste is mild and a little sweet. It’s much mellower compared to the other houjicha I tried, and now I’m glad I got this one in a large size. It’s delicious! There’s some roastiness to it, of course, but to me it’s gentler. I still like the Bancha, but I think I’d restock this quicker if I had to choose.