Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green (Matcha)
Where to Buy: Jade Monk
Tea Description:
A thousand years ago in Shinto belief, the Tengu were dangerous spirit-animals. Over the centuries they’ve evolved into benevolent protectors and allies of humans. This particular Tengu-Cranberry Blood Orange instant matcha green tea powder-employs the impossibly potent antioxidant potential of Jade Monk
®. Matcha, the tang of cranberry and bright citrus of blood orange, with a dash of sweetness. Traditional, pure, entirely natural ingredients with the fortified polyphenol strength of Jade Monk®-that’s a spirit to believe in.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This is the second flavor that I’ve tried of the four flavors that Jade Monk offers. And as I continue to try these instant green tea powders, the more I learn about them. With the Palau Peach, while I did enjoy it, I found that the stevia offered a bit of a funky taste to it. Because of that, I decided that I’d try preparing this Matcha mix with cold water rather than the traditional chawan & chasen method. I poured about 12 ounces of cold water into a tall glass, and stirred the Matcha mix into the water … stirring vigorously. It took about a full minute to stir this and get it completely mixed (there were a few clumps that rose to the top of the glass, but these were easy to break apart with the back of the spoon, and the clump then easily dissolved into the rest of the tea)
Prepared this way, this tastes a bit more like a green tea power drink than a Matcha. It is sweet, fruity and refreshing. It doesn’t taste strongly of tea, but I do taste the green tea in the background. I do still taste the stevia (and I am still left wishing it wasn’t there), but it tastes much better with the cold water rather than the hot. And, as far as alternative sweeteners go, I’d rather this be sweetened with stevia than something like aspartame, which I cannot consume.
What I really like about this flavor particularly is the combination of cranberry and blood orange. The blood orange is sweet and tastes juicy, and it offers a very pleasing contrast to the tartness of the cranberry. Overall, it is just tart enough to keep it interesting, with the tartness really emerging at its strongest in the aftertaste. But mostly, it is sweet and refreshing … and very energizing. I can feel the power of the Matcha really working, even if I the taste of the Matcha is not very strong.
While I don’t expect tea purists to find much enjoyment from these tasty little power packs, I do think that they’re enjoyable. If you want the powerful benefits of Matcha but find that pure Matcha tends to be a bit too much for you (it is a rather unique flavor and not something that everyone enjoys!), these Matcha products from Jade Monk would be the perfect alternative for you!
