Yomogi is the Japanese name for the herb, Mugwort. (Yomogi is also a fun word to say, and I’ve been saying it all week since I tried this tea.) There’s more than Mugwort in this blend, including Japanese black tea, green tea, and lavender. The dry leaf smells most strongly of lavender, with subdued tones of nutty green tea beneath the floral tones.
Brewing instructions for this tea called for cooler water and short steep times, and I made a few infusions of this blend with successful results. The tea brews light green/yellow in color, and tastes strongly of apricot and melon. This blend reminds me of an oolong due to its sweet stone fruit flavors, without being too grassy or sour like some strong green teas. There is a crisp mouthfeel, like fresh garden cucumbers, and a bit of toasted nuttiness that rounds out the experience.
The namesake of this blend is mugwort, though I don’t know which flavors derive from this herb. Mugwort has been around the block a bit, apparently being used as flavoring for drinks throughout history. Online you’ll find references to mugwort in all sorts of medicine and magic, from acupuncture, to insect repellent, to use in herbal spells, to being worn as a crown to protect against misfortunes on Saint John’s Eve. (I have Baltic ancestry myself, so we usually wear oak leaves for the occasion, maybe I’ll have to switch to mugwort and see if my luck fares any better).
If you’re a fan of Japanese teas, or just looking to ward off some bad mojo, do yourself a favor and brew up a cup of Yomogi tea.
Description: We also found a more modern blend of Japanese black tea, green tea, lavender and Japanese mugwort. Mugwort! a.k.a. Yomogi.