Matcha iri Genmaicha

After having a delicious matcha genmaicha a few weeks ago, I decided to order a few different genmaicha varieties from Harney & Sons. This is the first of the 3 I tried. Coldbrewed for a few hours (3? 4?). It’s quite tasty, but very genmai forward. It has a bit of a seaweed flavor and the matcha is quite mild.

Well, 5 days away from major surgery. Fun Fun. lol Nothing is more irritating that all the surgery clearance tests. Since that is all done, I guess I can relax. I’ve never spent the night at a hospital before so not liking being away from my kitties. However, it is what it is. ^^

I’m still drinking tea but staying on the mild side if there was ever such a thing. I bought all the different types of Genmaicha from H & S and I think this is the last to review. Matcha, brown rice, bancha. As you all know I wasn’t a fan of the Genmaicha with sencha. You all are right, bancha all the way. Anywho, I steeped for 3 minutes with 175º water as per H & S instructions. Nice instant bright green liquor, medium body with a popped rice aroma, slightly vegetal. The taste was definitely vegetal, like spinach but some say artichoke. It is very savory, roasted notes all over the place so although you get the delicious matcha taste there is a roasted flavor, some notes of nuts, as well as some citrus notes. I was kind of surprised at first at the fruity notes. It actually goes really well together.

Stay safe out there, and I’ll be back after I’m back on my feet.

I have to admit, I did absolutely no research before picking this up on a lark. I wanted something new, I barely read the description on the tin, and my knowledge about the teas of the world is, at best, passable. I lucked out incredibly.

Toasty, savory, and comforting. This is a tea I reach for when my sweet tooth needs a reset. Great on bitter cold days, especially because the scent is almost brothy. I was startled by the flavor, but now I can’t get this tea off my mind. Expect others to ask you what the hell you’re drinking and, if you can bear it, give them a sample.

Prior to steeping you’re able to smell the hints of roasted rice within this matcha/genmaicha blend. It has heavy earthen tones and the dust of the matcha is visible within the metal container and gives the drink a heavily green color.

The taste is very crisp and refreshing. The blend helps mitigate some of the standard bitterness that usually accompanies green teas. The aftertaste is not very long, but it is very flavorful in of itself. Definitely one of my more favorite “tea bag” green teas (I usually am preferential to loose leaf so I can see the quality of the leaf and have a deeper infusion/steep). It is on the pricier side though. That being said, this tea company typically has very nice quality teas that can be steeped about twice, depending. I plan on steeping this tea a second time for slightly longer as well to enjoy a second cup, though the second cup might be more bitter.

This has straight-up ruined me for all other green teas.
<3 <3 <3

Steep #2 alongside a Lapsang infused dark chocolate bar from Harney. Delicious! I am pleasantly surprised that the matcha is still mostly around. This steep is mostly genmaicha, but hey, I love genmaicha so I’m not complaining. This cup tastes fresher and not quite as nutty, now I’m getting a toasty thing.

A very tasty tea. If you like Japanese-styled Green teas with popped rice, then this will hit the spot for you. The combination of the green goodness of Matcha with the toasty nuttiness of Genmaicha is wonderfully full-bodied. I would recommend this tea to anyone.