Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green (Matcha)
Where to Buy: Red Leaf Tea
Tea Description:
The well loved flavor of popular hazelnuts when combined with oriental Matcha can make a truly delectable treat for its many takers. Since it is has a very close and cosy relationship with chocolate, Hazelnut Matcha can make a very popular treat for many social gatherings for young children. Its sweet nutty yet chocolate-like taste makes it an easy favorite among the younger generations who love sweetening their lives with equally sweet treats like Hazelnut Matcha. This is the perfect treat for those languid days when life should be infused with pure sweetness.
Learn more about this Hazelnut flavored Matcha here.
Taster’s Review:
OH wow! Oh wowie WOW wow!
From the moment I opened the pouch I could smell the hazelnut. I didn’t even have to lift the package to my nose to smell it, it was so strong that the fragrance filled the kitchen as soon as I cut open the pouch! It smelled roasty and deliciously nutty … deliciously, mouthwateringly HAZELNUT! I could feel myself starting to drool as my taste buds started to anticipate the flavors that await me in a frothy bowl of Hazelnut Matcha!
And it is astonishingly good! Much, much better than I expected it to be. It tastes hazelnut-y, of course, and I did expect that, but, I guess I didn’t expect to be as fond of this hazelnut flavored tea as I am. I love hazelnut, sure, it’s one of my favorite nuts, and I’ve been drooling over the thought of Hazelnut Matcha since I noticed this flavor among the many flavors of Matcha on the Red Leaf Tea website. And I figured I’d like it. But I didn’t think I’d love it quite this much.
The hazelnut offers a strong, nutty flavor that is sweet and toasted. Really, all that’s missing is the crunch of the nut and a lightly salted exterior … although I think you probably could remedy the salted part by the teensiest pinch of salt added to the chawan just before whisking. I didn’t do that – didn’t even think about it until I wrote it just now. But next time I have this delicious Matcha, I will definitely try it with a pinch of salt and see how it fairs.
As it is though, using just hot water and about twenty seconds of whisking – this tastes remarkable. It tastes like hazelnuts! But the flavor of the Matcha is not overwhelmed. It is a bit weaker than in previous Matcha flavors that I’ve had – and this was ordered according to the default, go-to settings that I usually order my Matcha: basic/starter grade Matcha and a distinctive level of flavoring. Unlike the other flavored Matcha though, the hazelnut flavor outshines the Matcha (it’s usually my experience that they are pretty evenly matched with the distinctive level of flavoring). But I’m not complaining, because the hazelnut is so delicious here, that I am loving every sip of it. However, if you want a more balanced flavor, you might want to try the delicate level of flavoring for this particular Matcha.
The Matcha is bittersweet and vegetative, but I do notice a bit less of the savory bitterness. The hazelnut cancels out some of the savory notes of the Matcha, but there is just enough in there to offer up some contrast to the bowl. Mostly, though, what I taste is HAZELNUT. It is strong, and it really does meld beautifully with the Matcha. I can even taste a hint of buttery taste to this … just a hint … and it really makes the whole set of notes come together in a really tasty way.
I love this flavor … another winning taste from the Matcha wizard at Red Leaf Tea!
I can’t wait to try this one! I am such a fan of hazelnut coffee, but to have hazelnut in my beloved tea would be divine!