Matcha, oh I love thee but how I have been disappointed in thee. Matcha is one of those teas that you really get what you pay for. If you pick up a cheaper priced matcha on say Amazon or in the grocery store, chances are you are going to get a matcha that you are not going to enjoy. I know. because I’ve done it. Those matchas aren’t bad in a pinch but once you’ve had the good stuff, you really crave that matcha from that moment on.
That is exactly what happened when I first enjoyed Yame Ceremonial Matcha from Naoki Matcha. I knew that I would only have the matcha for a short amount of time since I was sending the delight off to another one of the SororiTea Sisters to check out. So I took out my lovely whisk, my favorite bowl to whisk up some matcha in and went to work whisking and frothing up almond milk to add in at a later time.
I was in for a treat! This matcha is delicious and on point. Lovely notes of sweetness mingle beautifully with a hint of floral here or there along with a richness that I devoured. I really can’t say that I’ve ever picked up on floral notes in matchas I’ve enjoyed in the past so that was a unique experience. Beyond the floral notes, the smoothness that this matcha offers is just so alluring along with a touch of a buttery finish.
All in all, just lovely. Once I added in a dollop of frothed almond milk, I had myself a treat that almost seemed to good to be true for a matcha I whipped up at home that was unflavored without any additions beyond the dab of milk. Spot on, one of my favorite matchas that I’ve had in some time and I plan on picking up more once my current matcha supply runs low.
What is even better is that the matcha seemed to be a finer powder than I usually use and whisking up the matcha took no time. Highly recommend this one and a great matcha that is worth the price.
Want to Know More About This Tea?
Leaf Type: Matcha
Where to Buy: Naoki Matcha
Description
his blend won a Silver Award in a National Tea Competition. It has a naturally sweet taste with floral notes.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
MMU05 / Material Matcha Uji
MMU05, organic matcha blend. Currently this product is still waiting to be certified by the JAS/JONA, USDA, and EU. However, if you know anything about organic certification in Japan it is no simple task. It is appreciated though; that is the extra effort put in to get the certification and that which makes it so. Being that it is only in the prototype stage still I can’t guarantee that my review will be the same as anyone after me but if it’s anything like the original three blends I know each batch will be amazing. Upon opening the bag the aroma is reminiscent of MMU03, chocolaty and smooth. It is easy to sift and incorporate with ones desired liquid. Thus far I have tried almond milk and regular water. Both have turned out wonderful. It has an umami and sweetness like MMU03 but the grassy tones are a bit stronger. Luckily for those of you who aren’t interested in grassy tones they do dissolve nicely when mixed for a latte.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Matcha
Where to Buy: Material Matcha Uji
Description:
MMU05 is Material Matcha’s first ever try at Organic Matcha: we selected leaves from strictly organic batches of land and tried to achieve flavor as good as our conventional blends!
(Note: This prototype is currently pending official JAS/JONA Organic certification, to be followed by USDA Organic & EU Organic certifications)
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
MMU02 from Material Matcha Uji. . . .
Characterized as balanced and round.
This is the second of three matchas produced by Material Matcha Uji. I’ve already tried MMU03 and it’s amazing how different their flavor profiles are. Both have a sweet umami (which by the way is a crazy, complex word), but MMU02 I find to be a bit more subtle.
The middle child that doesn’t really care to stand out among the other two siblings. The dry powder is a lovely green accented with a somewhat chocolaty aroma. Maybe I’m crazy but that is what I think it smells like.
It’s a balanced matcha that would pair well with a high end chocolate mousse.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Matcha
Where to Buy: Material Matcha Uji
Description
When conceiving MMU02 we chose to go in the direction of extreme smoothness and balance: Okumidori’s roundness and moderation had to perfectly complement the depth and flamboyance of “shaded” tea favorite, Uji’s very own Samidori variety. The result is a fruity, smooth and all round balanced blend.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Ever Been Curious about Steeped Tea? Matcha Green Tea from Steeped Tea
Matcha Green Tea from Steeped Tea is straight-up matcha! That’s right…Green Tea Powder…as many of you already know!
There really isn’t a LOT to say about Matcha Green Tea from Steeped Tea but I will certainly try. It’s a more mellow tasting matcha that is for sure. It’s smooth, too! The natural creaminess is nice! Matcha Green Tea from Steeped Tea smells like green beans and tastes like green beans.
I guess one of the reasons I like straight-up matchas and like to spend some time with them is to see how they are alike but also differ. I’ve had some vegetal matchas before. Some that have tasted like specific vegetables such as peas, artichokes, various leafy greens, even, but Matcha Green Tea from Steeped Tea is a fine example of a straight forward green bean flavor found in a stand alone matcha!
This was nice hot or cold. It was an easy cup to drink! The matcha dissolved nicely in the hot water! A great starter matcha for sure!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green Tea/Matcha
Where to Buy: Steeped Tea
Description
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Caramel MATCHAccino from Red Leaf Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Red Leaf Tea
Tea Description:
Have your MATCHAccino your way! Easy to make for those on the go or sit back and indulge in sweet healthy goodness! Caramel MATCHAccino is a flavored green tea matcha latte that is decedent, delicious, and full of caramel flavor. Some say that the flavor matches that of a crème brûlée, or caramelized sugar. Others are reminded of the old fashioned caramel candies their grandparents savored. We just know it is delicious!
There is no healthier or tastier way to indulge your senses in something this sweet, and energizing! Just scoop, put into your container, shake with milk and ice, and your good to go. It couldn’t be easier, or more affordable to have a MATCHAccino in your hands right now. MATCHAccino is best mixed with milk and ice, but can also be served hot as a latte. Add a dollop of whipped cream if you care to indulge in a luscious caramel candy sensation. All natural, with premium quality ingredients. You will think you are doing something sinful!
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
MATCHAccino from Red Leaf Tea is anything and everything a person on the go could want! For that matter it is anything a person who wants to lavish in a sweet inexpensive matcha latte at home could want! Its everything anyone could want! It provides a healthy way to indulge in sweet caramel goodness that provides a nice energy boost without feeling cruddy like you would after a typical energy drink. The flavor is perfection. Sweet caramel candy like yumminess with a sweet green matcha flavor to boot. I do add whipped cream to mine often and love it. Just like the description says, it tastes as good as, if not better than a milkshake!
I can’t express how easy this is to make, and I admit, I’m rather lazy. If something takes too much prep time I lose interest in it fairly quickly. Now with that said I do love having all of the pretty chawans, chasens, sifters, whisks, etc and so on, but I only use those on occasion and will generally prepare something that only takes a little time. Well this is it my friends, this literally takes me no longer than two minutes to prepare. Using their measuring scoop I put the powder into my lidded glass drinking vessel, after adding my almond milk so that the powder does not get weighted down and stuck to the bottom, put the lid on, shake about ten times, and I’m sipping on what I could have paid five bucks for at a coffee (now trying to be a tea shop) shop. Big difference though is that this is only a little over a dollar, under a dollar when you buy a larger size pouch!
Fact is that where I live the only coffee shops that even offer a matcha latte are clear across town. I don’t live in a big city that offers these drinks on every street corner, but even if I did it would make no sense to pay that exorbitant price for a matcha latte with Red Leaf Tea’s option! Also, personally, I don’t care to give my money to the big chains that really have no honest interest in serving good quality tea, I mean they are coffee chains and tea is an afterthought. Anyway, I didn’t mean for this post to become crass. I just really love this MATCHAccino and am really excited about how good it is.
Thank you Red Leaf Tea for coming up with so many great ideas!
