I am a black tea sort of girl. Black just seems to work best with the flavorings I tend to reach for so typically when I am shopping, I hang out in the black tea section of shops. This has always been the case and though I have grown to enjoy other types of tea, I do still tend to gravitate towards black. However, since starting my tea journey, there has been one exception and that is genmaicha teas. Something about genmaichas just called to me and I made it my mission to try them all. This is one I have not tried so when I saw the familiar roasty rice and popcorn pieces peeking out of the traveling teabox I had, I immediately got the kettle brewing.
After just two quick minutes in 175 degree water, I had what my sister described as a canary yellow. Then she told me its like the color of a canary singing it’s melodic song that hints at its mellow nature. This is why I continue to ask her how she would describe the colors of my tea. I would have probably just said “yellow”.
As far as genmaichas go, this is a nice one. The first thing I noticed is that this has a strong roasty rice flavor. There is a touch of umami but mostly it is a rich, roasted note. The base is buttery and smooth and a tiny bit vegetal which provides the perfect counterbalance to the popped rice flavoring. Harmony tea seems to be a fitting name for this Mellow Monk blend since the flavors blend harmoniously (see what I did there?!).
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Mellow Monk
Description
Harmoney Tea™ is a genmaicha — green tea mixed with roasted brown rice. The rice imparts a nutty, toasty flavor that makes genmaicha one of the most popular types of green tea in America. Unlike some tea growers, this artisan roasts his own rice, which he buys from local farmers. (During roasting, some of the rice grains pop like popcorn. This popped rice is also included in the mixture to enhance the flavor.)
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
