Genmaicha was a type of tea that I came to later in my tea-drinking life. I didn’t yet understand the toasty magic of having puffed rice brewed alongside a nutty green tea. Since then I’ve been on the genmaicha train and I don’t plan to leave. 52Teas has a great variety of genmaicha teas, like banana marshmallow or rice pudding. This time I’m trying Pumpkin Spice Latte Genmaicha from 52Teas.
In addition to the expected green tea and puffed rice, this blend contains pumpkin pieces, allspice, cinnamon, and nutmeg. The peppery allspice and herbal nutmeg make this tea smell specifically like autumn and not just your everyday chai spices.
Brewed, this blend is exceptionally well-balanced. There are the sweet flavors of a pumpkin spice latte, and a little warmth and depth from the spices, but they don’t drown out the toasty comfort of the original genmaicha.
As much as I love pumpkin spice everything, this might be one of my favorite takes on the flavor. The brew is creamy without being cloying, spicy without feeling generic, and the genmaicha base makes me feel so cozy and easygoing.
Don’t get me wrong, I’ll still be ordering those PSL coffee lattes when they come back on the menu, but I’ll also be rooting for 52Teas to reblend this genmaicha beauty just in time for pumpkin season.
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