Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green (Matcha)
Where to Buy: Red Leaf Tea
Tea Description:
The unique Cola Matcha can be used to make most foods and drinks acquire an interesting adventurous twist. Its deep albeit slightly sweet taste leaves many people both mystified and compelled to enjoy more. This special flavor has no equal and can be used in any occasion to make an exceptional impact on its various audiences both big and small. This flavor relies on its much loved status in the world to entice its enthusiasts to appreciate its unique offerings in the world of refreshments.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I’m not sure, exactly, what possessed me to order this Cola Flavored Matcha from Red Leaf Tea, except for possibly curiosity. Thinking about it … a Matcha flavored cola is something that would definitely spark my interest – for purely curious reasons – because it doesn’t really seem like a suitable combination. Matcha is creamy, slightly vegetative tasting green tea. Healthy. Tasty. Invigorating. While cola seems to be on the opposite end of the spectrum. Certainly not creamy or vegetative, definitely NOT healthy … ok, sure, it’s tasty but it’s so sickeningly sweet that I can tolerate it on only rare occasions. Cola has that tooth-rotting sweetness that seems to adhere itself on the tooth’s surface and only a thorough brushing seems to remove it. I just … don’t like that!
That being said, I have encountered a few cola flavored teas that I’ve quite enjoyed. And they even tasted a bit like cola, and the best part is that they LACKED the aforementioned tooth-rotting sweetness. Cola flavored teas are my way of enjoying the flavor of cola without enduring the sickeningly sweet taste of it.
And perhaps it is that idea that lead me to order this Cola Flavored Matcha from Red Leaf Tea. Well, that and, like I said – curiosity. I’m curious how well these two seemingly opposite things taste together.
And … it’s really quite tasty! I like this flavor combination. The cola notes are sweet … but not cloying. It has the “flavor” of cola. And of course, I can also taste the Matcha. The Matcha tastes decidedly different with the cola flavoring, though. It doesn’t taste vegetative. It tastes more buttery to me here. Smooth and creamy. There is a faint “bittersweetness” to it, reminiscent of the bitter taste you’d experience from a burnt-sugar caramel that ties in very well with the cola concept.
It’s really quite a unique taste – I don’t think I’ve tried any Matcha quite like this before – but that’s not to say it’s a bad thing … on the contrary, I think it’s a really, really good thing.
I tried this first hot, prepared traditionally using my chasen and chawan. It is good this way … but, keep in mind that drinking it this way it tastes a bit like a warm, flat cola. Then I tried scooping it into a water bottle with filtered water and giving it a vigorous shake. Prepared this way – it’s really quite amazing! Good warm … certainly something I enjoyed drinking, but, not something that I’d get all excited over. But cold … that’s the way to go with this one! It might even be good as a latte – it might taste a bit like a cola float! I haven’t tried it like that yet, because I find it so refreshing as a cold drink that I haven’t felt the need to experiment further … but if you do, please do comment here and tell me about it!
