Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: M&K’s Tea Co.
Tea Description:
An M&K’s exclusive! Simply made, we take the famous gunpowder tea of China and roast it in our own quarters, creating a truly unique green tea that is very nutty and reminiscent of a lighter cup of coffee if brewed correctly. This is a great tea if you want something stronger or if you enjoy roasted oolong teas, smokey teas, dark teas (pu-erh tea), or even roasted yerba mate!
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I had never had anything like this Dark Roast Gunpowder so I thought I’d give it a shot. I really like the teas that I have had previously from M&K’s Tea Co. They are one of my favorite companies to order from. They have even added honey to their site that are flavored. They sound fantastic. One or two bottles might find their way into my next order.
On to the tea. . . I am glad I took a chance on this one. Nutty, rich, smooth, malty with a side note of honey and smoke? This is a very unique tasting tea! I’m digging this one. This reminds me of a dark roasted coffee without that bitter after taste you sometimes get. I can see this one replacing my daily cup of joe I do enjoy each morning. The roasted nutty flavor with a hint of sweetness really works. The more I drink it, the more I am reminded of a sweet and salty snack where you get the best of both worlds so to speak. Dark roasted sweet goodness.
Highly recommend this one if you enjoy coffee or roasted teas.
Houjicha – Dark Roast from Kyoto Obubu Tea Plantations
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Kyoto Obubu Tea Plantations
Company Description:
Roasted green tea, or Houjicha is unlike any green tea you’ve tasted before. With a richly smokey flavor that is simultaneously light and sweet, houjicha has none of the bitterness of traditional green teas. And like decaf coffee, the roasting process removes the caffeine from the leaves making it the perfect after dinner / before bed drink.
Taster’s Review:
I have always been fond of Houjicha (or Hojicha) green tea because I really enjoy its deep roasted flavor. This is one of the best Houjicha teas that I’ve encountered.
Even though the tea has a roasted and somewhat rustic taste, the tea still maintains an unbelievably smooth flavor and consistency. It has a slightly earthy/woodsy, smoky note that unites almost seamlessly with the roasted flavor. It has a silky mouthfeel that is almost a contradiction to the roasted earthiness of this tea. A delightfully delicious contradiction.
What I like best about Houjicha tea is the sweet, caramel taste that the roasting process imparts upon the leaves. It seems to remove much of the vegetative notes of a typical green tea, and the buttery notes seem to turn to a rich, buttery caramel taste. So YUMMY!
And I learned something new by visiting the Obubu Tea Store… I did not know that the roasting process removes the caffeine (I don’t know how much of the caffeine it removes) – but it is certainly good to know! This Dark Roast Houjicha would make an incredibly comforting tea to enjoy on the forthcoming cold autumn evenings.
