Lemonade Matcha from 3 Leaf Tea. . .

Today was one of those days that screamed- You need to drink Matcha. With the weather turning to winter and the days a bit more gloomy, I wanted a tea that would brighten up my mood, taste buds, and just overall provide a bit of sunshine into my day. That’s when I grabbed my sample of Lemonade Matcha from 3 Leaf Tea.

3 Leaf Tea specializes in amazing flavored Matcha blends and hot chocolate flavors.  Flavors like Banana Hot Chocolate, Mint Matcha, and Pumpkin Spice Matcha just to name a few.  Even though Lemonade Matcha cries for being made into an Iced Matcha Latte, I wanted something warm.

Brewed my water up to 175F, added a few scoops into the my mug, poured the water in and began whisking away.  The matcha whisked beautifully.  Pretty soon I was greeted with this gorgeous matcha beverage that craved a latte topping. I poured a bit of cream into my frother and when it was all set, I poured a generous amount on top of my matcha, creating a lovely Lemonade Matcha Latte.

As weird as a warm Lemonade Matcha Latte sounds, this concoction absolutely works. The matcha is lovely flavored, not too much but just enough that the lemonade flavor comes through. Bright pops of lemon and this vegetal sweet yet slightly bitter flavor mix perfectly with the cream frothed topping.  A touch tart but with the cream, you almost get this lemon meringue style note.  This latte is definitely telling me to grab a book, a blanket, and settle in for some much need me time.

Flavored matchas for me are very hit or miss. Sometimes the flavors are just too overwhelming for the matcha itself- not allowing the beautiful flavors that matcha naturally provides.  They also have a tendency to be very artificially tasting. That isn’t the case at all with this particular flavored matcha.  The flavors taste like they belong together. I never would have thought about adding lemon or even lemon juice into my matchas but I might just have to start. . .or I’ll just have to go the easy way and pick up more of this Lemonade Matcha.

This experience reminds me of how much I do love flavored matcha and need to put in an order to pick up some of 3 Leaf Tea’s Pumpkin Spice Matcha before its gone, along with a few other flavor offerings.  Maybe even a few hot chocolate blends too.  I can’t imagine a better way to bring in the winter weather!


Here’s the scoop!

Leaf Type: Matcha
Where to Buy:  3 Leaf Tea
Description

Bright, Tart, Fresh

All of the flavor of freshly squeezed lemonade without the added sugar. Bright and refreshing, a perfect treat.

INGREDIENTS:

Premium grade matcha infused with natural lemonade flavor

Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!

Raspberry Matcha from Tea’s Me. . . . . .

I love Matcha tea. I love the vibrant green color, I love the grassy green flavor and I especially love the health benefits. I also love raspberries. They are in my top three favorite fruits.

So I was very excited to try raspberry matcha tea. I made a pitcher of this over ice because the weather is warm and I like my fruit teas served cold.

First of all, as soon as I opened the package I smelled a strong raspberry smell which made me very happy. And mixing this was a breeze, no clumping issues at all. Now on to the taste.

This is a perfect matcha tea for someone who wants the benefits of matcha but doesn’t like the flavor. I’ve heard that from a lot of people. This has a delightful, crisp raspberry flavor. It tastes like real raspberries, not raspberry flavor. It’s sweet and slightly tart just like the berries.

It’s absolutely delicious and a perfect summertime drink. I would make a big pitcher for a picnic and put lots of fresh raspberries in the add color and flavor and fanciness.

This tea is full of antioxidants, and it’s vegan and gluten free. It’s so nice to have a beverage that is delicious and very very good for you. It does have caffeine in it, although of course much less than coffee or black tea. This is definitely going to be a staple in my life this summer!


Here’s the scoop!

Leaf Type:  Matcha
Where to Buy:  Tea’s Me
Description

Whether you want a boost of energy, refreshing drink orhealthy cooking ingredient, Tea’s Me raspberry matcha is here for you. Matcha is one of the healthiest drinks on earth and now boasts an amazing taste. All of our Matcha is sourced from Japan, the birth place of Matcha 500 years ago. Great for cooking, lattes, smoothies and of course tea.
Ingredients – 100% Organic Matcha, Cane Sugar and Raspberry Extract

Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!

Green Tea + C Ginger Citrus from Sencha Naturals. . . .

In college, my friends and I used to have a habit of drinking those vitamin C drink mixes like they were going out of style. Looking back, I recognize now that they were maaaybe nothing more than glorified Kool-Aid, but we felt pretty smug as Well Hydrated Persons with Extra Vitamin’d Superpowers.

I’m not going to claim that this Sencha Naturals drink mix packet isn’t also slightly more than glorified Kool-Aid, but at the very least, this one’s got the addition of antioxidant-rich green tea in it, so I’m at minimum a little bit ahead of where college-Mary was in her vitamin-powered beverages.

I opted to mix this one up in cold water, 18 ounces instead of the prescribed 8-10. I found this to be a perfect balanced– a bit like iced tea, but still some kick from the flavor. If I’d made this one in half the water (as instructed), I think I might’ve felt it far too sweet. But diluted? It still had plenty of citrus-gingery flavor without the super-overdone sugar. The flavor was tart, but potent, with a bit of stevia aftertaste that I wasn’t super wild about, but also wasn’t the most offensive I’ve ever had. It was refreshing and would be the perfect quick summer iced-tea substitute, with the zing of the ginger taking it a notch above a store-bought iced tea bottle or mix.

Would I drink this one constantly? Probably not, though it may have more to do with my general now-adulting desire to get my vitamins from whole food sources. But does it make a lovely quick & easily accessible on-the-go drink when you need a mid-day pick-me-up with the benefit of some added vitamins and antioxidants? Absolutely. College-Mary would totally have these stocked in her backpack.


Here’s the scoop!

Leaf Type:  Green Tea
Where to Buy:  Sen Cha Naturals
Description

We believe that nutrition should come from whole food ingredients, versus synthetic vitamins. Whole leaf green tea, acerola cherry, coconut water, and supporting herbs to help you stay well. Serve hot for a gingery warm and citrus-y bright cup of tea

Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!

Maple Matcha from DAVIDsTEA. . . . .

I am a huge fan of matcha. I drink a matcha latte every morning. I take two-three matcha-spoonfulls (.5tsp each) and mix it with a little over a half cup of hot water, using a matcha bamboo whisk. Then I add it to a glass of hot milk and add a tbsp of agave to sweeten it up. Mega yum! Matcha gives me a great energy boost and it also has a lot of health benefits which makes me happy.

Back in the fall I was a huge fan of DAVIDsTEA’s Pumpkin Pie Matcha. It was so good! So, when I saw their new Maple Matcha I knew I had to try it. I was a little put off by the fact that is says “low caffeine”, because matcha is not a low-caffeine beverage. I am going to assume that there must be a lot of sugar and flavor in order for the matcha to be diluted enough to be considered low-caffeine. Nonetheless, I gave it a go, preparing my usual way as I stated above.

The matcha didnt smell very maple-y, to me. Honestly, I couldn’t really detect maple in the scent. Once I turned it into a latte, I started to be able to taste maple. I would liken this to matcha pancakes covered in maple syrup. For me, this is a good thing, but I know some people aren’t into things being overly sweet. This certainly does not need sweetener. The matcha part isn’t very strong so I really can tell it is diluted, which confirmed my earlier suspicions. This would be great for someone who is just starting to get accustomed to matcha and is experimenting with flavors as it isn’t very strong.

In conclusion, if you like sweet matcha lattes that have been lightly touched with maple syrup, you will enjoy this treat! As for me, I will finish my 2oz tin but most likely will not repurchase. I am glad I tried it, though!


Here’s the scoop!

Leaf Type:  Matcha
Where to Buy:  DAVIDsTEA
Description

We gave this all-natural matcha the Canadian treatment with a sweet drizzle of maple.

Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!

Gingernut Matcha from Bluebird Tea Co. . . . .

Whether you are a Matcha Maniac or the more adventurous type of Matcha fan today’s featured Matcha may just rock your world! Gingernut Matcha from Bluebird Tea Co. The company calls it the Detox Warrior. The Energizing Elixir. The Slimming Superhero. The Hangover Destroyer. Well, I personally, haven’t put any of these claims to the test but what I CAN tell you is that Gingernut Matcha from Bluebird Tea Co is an impressive flavored matcha that is certainly worth a taste!

Gingernut Matcha from Bluebird Tea Co seems to be ideal for autumn/fall/winter. It’s a limited edition matcha so be sure to get it before it’s gone! It’s also something that would appeal to those who enjoy ginger and spicier notes with even a little tingle in the sip.

The flavor of Gingernut Matcha from Bluebird Tea Co was potent and intense. It had an incredible ginger flavor, a nuttiness to it, and even a chili kick, too! The flavor lingered long after the sip was complete. I sampled this straight-up with nothing added but I’m looking forward to a Matcha Latte of sorts to see and taste how this steps up! I’m sure it will continue to shock and amaze!


Here’s the scoop!

Leaf Type: Matcha (Green Tea)
Where to Buy: Bluebird Tea Co.
Description

Our limited edition Gingernut biscuit matcha blend is so moreish with milk! Get your matcha kicks with a ginger tingle this Autumn – Winter season!

Our expert Tea Mixologists have created the UK’s first flavoured Matcha Collection in some of their favourite flavours using organic, natural ingredients and all hand blended at our HQ in Brighton.

The Detox Warrior. The Energising Elixir. The Slimming Superhero. The Hangover Destroyer. These are some of our nicknames for the Superhero Superfood – Matcha!

Matcha is a traditional Japanese powdered green tea with up to 10 x the benefits of regular green tea, 7 x the vitamin C as orange juice and 3 x the energy boost as an espresso shot! It’s packed full of antioxidants, minerals and nutrients and is said to aid weight loss, lowering blood pressure and increasing concentration levels and clarity of mind.

Bluebird’s Mixology Matcha contains rare and unique white matcha, grown at higher elevations to ensure an antioxidant boosted, even more nutrient rich cup.

Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!