Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: McIver’s Tea & Coffee Merchants
Tea Description:
The Daintree Tea Company is located on the Cubbagudta Plantation, situated in the heart of the Daintree Rainforest and Wilderness area in North Queensland. The plantation was established in 1978 by the Nicholas Family who still own and operate the business. Daintree tea is grown pesticide free. Low in tannin and caffeine, this is the perfect afternoon cup.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This Australian Daintree Black Tea from McIver’s Tea & Coffee Merchants is a tea that was sent to me by a friend and I was happy to try it. I’ve not tried any tea from this company, and I love trying new teas from new-to-me companies.
According to the description of this tea, it would seem that this is a tea that is grown in an Australian rainforest without pesticides. Cool!
Very tasty! This is a robust tasting tea, but as the description above suggests, it’s not a tannic flavor. No bitterness here. It is sweet with a molasses-y type taste and notes of freshly baked bread. I also taste notes of malt and raisin.
I really like the flavor of this tea. It reminds me of a bold, breakfast-y type black tea. However, I don’t know if this truly has a low caffeine level and for those of us who need that caffeinated energy thing in the morning, this might not be the right choice for a breakfast tea. Instead, I envision that this might make a great afternoon tea for a high tea type of occasion when you want to add milk and honey to your tea and drink with your pinkies up.
Then again, I’m finding it quite lovely without the milk and honey, in my tea mug, with both hands cupped around the mug to enjoy the warmth.
A really good tea, I’m happy I got to try it.
Yunomi Monthly Mystery Tea Sampler’s Club: Light Roast Houjicha from Kyoto Obubu Tea Plantation
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Yunomi
Tea Description:
Roasted green tea, or Houjicha, is unlike any green tea you’ve tasted before. With a smooth, smoky flavor that is simultaneously light and sweet, houjicha has none of the bitterness of traditional green teas.
Learn more about this tea here.
Learn more about Yunomi’s Monthly Mystery Tea Sampler’s Club here.
Taster’s Review:
This Light Roast Houjicha from the Kyoto Obubu Tea Plantation is the third and final tea that I received in this month’s Yunomi Monthly Mystery Tea Sampler’s Club package.
As I’ve professed before, I am quite fond of Houjicha (or Hojicha) because I love that roasty-toasty flavor! This particular tea is “Light Roast” and the difference is noticeable in the flavor.
It is a much lighter taste – a mild smokiness and a gentle toasted flavor is what I’m enjoying with this cup. It is sweet and mellow and lacks any bitterness whatsoever. The astringency is also quite light here – it’s barely noticeable.
The roasting process of Houjicha seems to mute out the strong vegetative or “grassy” notes that is often found in green teas, and replaces them with a sweet, toasty taste, and I think that’s what I like best about Houjicha. Now, don’t get me wrong, I enjoy that grassy taste from a Japanese Sencha just fine, but, sometimes, it’s nice to change things up a bit.
I like how the lighter roasting of this allows some of the smoky tones to be explored. It isn’t a strong smoky overture, but I can note the complexity in the smoky tones. This seems much more complex to me than a typical, “medium” roast or stronger roast Houjicha. Smooth with layers of flavor that are smoky, nutty, sweet, earthy, somewhat woody, and deliciously toasted.
A very tasty Houjicha … very relaxing to sip, and a very smooth, comforting cup!
Amber Houjicha Tea from Kyoto Obubu Tea Plantations
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Kyoto Obubu Tea Plantations
Tea Description:
Houjicha Amber as the name says is exquisite in color, aromatic in fragrance and powerful in flavor. Its color is that of the stone, amber, that is often used for both jewelry and to perfumery.
To produce Houjcha Amber, Obubu uses tea leaves of Sencha of the Summer Sun and roast them to create a luxury type of Houjicha. Sencha of the Summer Sun is characterised for its strong bitter taste because it uses tea leaves that are small and fine. Its rich and robust flavor makes it an ideal choice for after heavy or oily meals.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
It’s been a while since I’ve had a cup of Houjicha, so I thought it was definitely time for a cup. This Amber Houjicha Tea from Kyoto Obubu Tea Plantations is really lovely.
According to the above description, the leaves used for this Houjicha is the Sencha of the Summer Sun, and this was a Sencha that I really enjoyed … so I found myself eager to try this tea after reading the description. I wondered how different the flavor would be after the roasting process.
Interestingly enough, I still taste some of the Sencha in this tea, although it is … certainly different from a typical Sencha (duh, right?) But I taste some of the vegetative notes of the Sencha tea, as well as some of the floral notes. The Sencha of the Summer Sun was a rather assertive green tea so, I guess it should come as no surprise that some of those flavors still shine through after the roasting.
But, I like how the vegetative notes taste … more like roasted vegetables as opposed to “creamed spinach.” Some of the creamy notes of the green tea are also present in this cup, and when united with the toasty flavors, it gives a creamy, nutty sort of flavor that is really quite appealing.
Sweet and delicious, with a moderate amount of astringency … this is different from the usual Houjicha which I might describe as a mellow, easy-going kind of tea … this one has a certain lively vibe to it that makes it different but still quite delightful.
If you like Houjicha … add this to your MUST try list!
Genmaicha Green Tea from Tealet
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Tealet
Tea Description:
Genmaicha is one of Japan’s most well-known green tea outside sencha. Translated to Brown Rice Tea it is literally green tea, Yanagi Bancha, with 100% Japanese-grown sweet mocha rice. The roasted brown rice will remind you of the rich and sweet flavor of popcorn. This brings a nuttiness to the sweet and bitter of the sencha. This is a great introduction to the diverse world of Japanese green tea.
The sweetness and warmth of Genmaicha is best shared with loved ones on a chilly day. All palates can find something to love in this nutty tea.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Genmaicha is one of my favorite teas to sip when it’s chilly outside. There is just something so warm and comforting about the roasty-toasty flavor of Genmaicha. This Genmaicha Green Tea from Tealet is a wonderful offering … brought to Tealet from the Obubu Plantation in Kyoto, Japan.
The toasted rice flavors have a slightly caramelized flavor to them – warm and roasted. There are also notes to this tea that remind me of freshly popped popcorn – hold the butter! I think that is what differentiates this Genmaicha from others that I’ve tried … there is less of that buttery undertone to the green tea … instead, I find this green tea to be more of a savory tasting tea. That doesn’t make it better or worse … just different, and I really like it when I find something that is just a little different from the rest.
What I like best about this Genmaicha is it’s overall lightness. There is a crispness to this cup that is very refreshing. It also appeals to me because it is both sweet and savory. This would be an excellent Genmaicha for someone who wants something a little less sweet … a little more balanced! As for me, I think it’s absolutely lovely!
Kyobancha from Tealet
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Tealet
Tea Description:
After the long cold winter tea growers in Kyoto Prefecture harvest tea leaves and twigs to produce Kyobancha. It has a deep woodsy flavor that is sure to warm you up on a cold holiday night. Many tea-growing regions refer to Kyobancha as ‘bancha for babies’ because it is so low in caffeine because of its late harvest date. It is very difficult to find this tea in stores because tea-growing families usually just drink it themselves.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I don’t think I’ve ever had a Kyobancha before, so I was excited to try this tea from Tealet. The leaves are large and remind me a bit of a white tea, actually, like a darker white tea such as a Shou Mei … a really high quality one, where great care was taken to preserve the whole leaf.
The aroma reminds me of a Houjicha tea – its got a toasty kind of scent to it. The flavor is also kind of roasty-toasty like a Houjicha. In fact, if I were served this “blindly” … I would guess it was a Houjicha, although there are noticeable differences in the overall flavor. This Kyobancha tastes lighter, and seems to have a little less body and texture to it than a typical Houjicha. It’s a lighter roasted taste, and just overall a lighter tasting tea.
In this video from Tealet, Elyse from Tealet discusses the differences between Kyobancha and Houjicha. It’s a short but informative video, check it out!
I love the sweetness of this tea! It tastes a bit sweeter to me than a Houjicha, with very little vegetative taste. It kind of tastes like raw sugar cane, with some nutty notes and hints of a hay-like vegetal note.
The best way I can describe this is this: Imagine Houjicha and White Tea had a love child. That child would be named Kyobancha!
I really enjoyed this new experience. Thank you, Tealet, for making it happen!