Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green (Matcha)
Where to Buy: Red Leaf Tea
Tea Description:
Hemp protein has some rather controversial origins within the seed pod of the well known cannabis sativa plant. In spite of this, Hemp protein does not have the drug inducing side effects of its mother plant but is in fact nature’s highest source of natural fiber, protein and vital fatty acids. This means that, it has been documented to contain up to 10 necessary amino acids and has proven itself as a fundamental source of natural fiber.
Learn more about this Matcha here.
Taster’s Review:
In college, I was a big-time hemp advocate. No, that’s not my way of saying that that I smoked cannabis sativa. Believe it or not, I never have smoked the stuff, and I really have no interest in it. But, I do believe that marijuana’s cousin, hemp, is a very beneficial product that could do so much to help save our environment.
While that speech belongs on a different blog, I mentioned my “history” with hemp briefly to explain what lead me to order this flavored Matcha.
Anyway, with my last bowl of Matcha, I ended up breaking my chawan (ack!) and my other chawan, I believe to have been raku fired and I am unsure of it’s safety for food use, so I have stopped using it. Better safe than sorry. So … I am now using a small bowl that is constructed of a very thin china-like porcelain material, I love this bowl, but I don’t know how ideal it is for Matcha. I guess I’ve just become so accustomed to the feel of my pottery bowl, I think I am going to have to get another one soon.
This Hemp Matcha is really tasty. I tend to make my Matcha a little thicker than a typical usucha, although I don’t know if what I’ve made today would be considered koicha and I am sadly not as knowledgeable about Japanese Tea Ceremony as I would like to be. I just sort of eyeball it when I make Matcha. I scoop it out, sift it, and then add water and whisk until I’m satisfied with how it looks. Then I drink it.
This is rich and creamy and smooth. No chalkiness at all. It is a deep jade color, not quite as bright as some Matcha teas I’ve tasted, but, then, I didn’t expect it to be. I typically order the “basic” Matcha when I order the flavored Matcha from Red Leaf Tea – and let me just say that I LOVE that I can specify what quality Matcha as well as the level of flavoring that is used in the making of my flavored Matcha from Red Leaf Tea – and I ordered the basic this time too. I usually order the “distinctive” level of flavoring but I did not do that this time, as I wanted a more subtle hemp flavor.
And I think that again, I hit the nail right on the head with the choices here. This tastes fantastic. It has a sweet, vegetative taste (as I would expect from a Matcha), with a pleasant buttery undertone. It is thick and creamy. And the hemp adds a hint of nutty flavor to the tea that I find very enjoyable.
Also, an intriguing side effect, I notice a slight numbing of the tongue as I drink this. It doesn’t last long, if I hold out between sips until the numbing sensation disappears, the elapsed time is not even two full minutes. I don’t know if this is because of the tea, or because of the hemp… or if it’s the combination of the two. I just know that I experienced it. It was not an unpleasant experience though, it was just a bit unusual.
Because I waited in between sips to further explore the numbness, I found that my tea had cooled somewhat before I finished the bowl. Some of the matcha had settled to the bottom, so a quick swishing motion of the bowl (or alternatively, a quick whisk if you happen to have your chasen handy), helped redistribute the Matcha. But even with the thicker “bottom of the bowl” Matcha, I will say that it didn’t taste chalky. It was a little thicker, but it did not have a gritty texture either.
This was a very pleasurable and unusual Matcha experience from start to finish. I’m really glad I got to try this Hemp Matcha.
Strawberry Matcha from Red Leaf Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Red Leaf Tea
Tea Description:
Are you having your 5 A DAY ? What better way to have your first fruit portion of the day is there than to try our Strawberry Matcha Tea. Our Matcha Tea is blended with the best hand picked European Strawberries. It’s time to get those buiscuits out to fuse with our 100% Pure Matcha Tea with a blend of the freshest Aroma of strawberries.
Learn more about this Matcha here.
Taster’s Review:
Ah! Strawberries! Is there any fruit that says “summertime” more beautifully than strawberries?
Strawberries always remind me of my gramma, because she lived very close to one of those strawberry stands that was located right at the foot of the strawberry field – where you could go and pick your own strawberries, or you could go the easy route and simply buy a big flat of strawberries that had been picked that very morning. So, when strawberry season arrived – and in Southern California, strawberry season is noticeably longer than here in the Pacific Northwest (rain causes the strawberries on the vine to rot, and we’re kind of known for our rain up here in the Pacific Northwest) – and all throughout the season, I could always count on having some fresh strawberry shortcake for dessert whenever I visited gramma’s house for dinner. YUM!
So, while strawberries are not my favorite fruit, they are certainly up there in the top five (probably more like the top three), and they do hold a very special place in my memories because of my gramma.
In case you’re wondering, my favorite fruit is tomatoes. Yes, tomatoes. Hey, Red Leaf Teas … how about a TOMATO flavored Matcha?
Anyway, after reading the many positive reviews about this Strawberry Matcha from Red Leaf Tea, I decided I needed to try it. The specifications for this matcha was similar to the specifications for the others that I’ve ordered from Red Leaf Tea: Starter Matcha and the distinctive level of flavoring. And yet again, I find that the distinctive level of flavoring is just perfect for me. Of course, I really don’t have anything to compare it to, but I just know that I’m loving what I’m tasting, and that’s good enough for me.
The strawberry essence was evident from the moment I opened the pouch. I could smell it, even without holding my nose over the pouch and inhaling. I’ve learned from past errors in judgement that it is not a good idea to inhale a pile of Matcha… the powder is super fine and will either get sucked up into your nostrils (not fun) or might get blown all over the place and you’d not only have a mess to clean up but also a lot of wasted Matcha. Matcha is for drinking, not for scattering all over the kitchen counter!
I sifted the Matcha … and here’s another thing that I’ve noticed about Red Leaf Tea versus other flavored Matcha that I’ve tried – you CAN and therefore SHOULD sift the flavored Matcha from Red Leaf Tea. In the past, with other flavored Matcha from other sources, I found that there were little bits of flavor particles which wouldn’t make their way through the fine mesh of the strainer, and therefore would affect the flavor of the Matcha. I don’t know what kind of flavor that Red Leaf Tea uses to flavor their Matcha, but it would seem that it is ground as fine as the Matcha itself, and therefore does not inadvertently get “sifted out” when you sift the Matcha. And sifting does absolutely improve the end result. So … I recommend sifting this Matcha!
After measuring and sifting the Matcha, I added the hot water and began whisking. It whisked up nice and frothy. And YUM! This is so deliciously strawberry. Strawberry from the very first sip. And what’s even nicer is that the strawberry flavor develops as I sip … so the last sip offers an even stronger strawberry flavor than the first sip did.
Of course, I can taste the buttery, vegetative taste of the Matcha too. It goes along very nicely with the strawberry flavor. The strawberry is sweet and juicy tasting, and the Matcha offers a nice, earthy contrast. Sweet and delicious – and no chalkiness or even any gritty aftertaste or texture. Just smooth, creamy goodness!
This is actually my second time drinking this Matcha – yesterday, we were near the tail end of a heat wave here in the Pacific Northwest. I know it was the tail end because today, it’s not so hot! Yesterday, had you told me that the heat was almost over, I would have not believed you. It felt like it was never ending! It was so miserably hot. And yes, I have read the studies that claim that hot liquids help cool the body, but, I was so uncomfortable that the thought of drinking anything hot was just as unbearable as the heat was.
So after whisking up the Matcha, I decided that even though I serve Matcha cooler than I serve most other hot teas, I didn’t want hot Matcha, I wanted something cold and frosty. So, I poured the Matcha into my blender, added some ice cubes, milk and a little bit more of the Matcha powder and blended it until it was all smooth. And let me just say that this was so incredible! Strawberries and cream! Delicious and oh so cool! It was so refreshing.
And I was tempted to make another today, but I decided to try this the way Matcha “should” be consumed, so I drank it hot and loved it that way too. It’s hard to say which way I liked it best – I enjoyed the additional creamy element from the milk as well as the frosty cool taste of the “matcha milkshake” that I made, but it is absolutely heavenly served “properly” in a chawan, whisked up to a frothy, creamy, delicious hot drink.
I don’t know if this is my favorite Matcha that I’ve tried so far from Red Leaf Tea (the Caramel Matcha was pretty darned amazing too!) but it’s right up there. Amazingly good!
Coconut Matcha from Red Leaf Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green (Matcha)
Where to Buy: Red Leaf Tea
Tea Description:
When the succulent full bodied taste of the fleshy coconut is combined with the more subdued taste of velvety Matcha, the subsequent Coconut Matcha treat is a true pleasure for the palate. A delectable snack for anytime of the day or night, Coconut Matcha lends it recognizable flavour and sumptuous taste to any setting. This is a treat for all seasons. Being versatile and mouth wateringly wonderful, Coconut Matcha can easily become a favorite among energetic youngsters as well as hard working adults. This is because, its refreshing taste brings to life any sagging spirit.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I’ve been drinking a lot of flavored Matcha lately, and most of it has come from Red Leaf Tea. That’s because they’ve got this awesome incentive program going on! You start out by buying some Matcha, and then if you write the reviews on the product, you get gift certificates to get MORE Matcha! Talk about feeding one’s habit – Red Leaf has got me hooked!
With such an amazing assortment of delicious flavors to choose from, the hard part is really choosing which flavor to try first! This time around, every time my eyes would glance over the Matcha page, they would stop at the Coconut Matcha. Something about this flavor just called out to me, I’m not sure exactly why. I think I just couldn’t stop thinking about how amazing these two creamy, sweet components – Matcha and coconut – would taste together.
And they are incredible together! But … it didn’t taste incredible with my first couple of sips. Oh, don’t get me wrong, it was still very tasty, but I found myself thinking: huh? Why was I so excited over this? But then as I continued to sip, I found that the flavors intensified and my palate could not get enough! I began gulping it … and now my chawan is empty before I even have a chance to finish the review! I guess it just took a while for my palate to become acclimated to what it was experiencing … the flavors needed to develop properly on my palate. And now that my first serving of this is gone, I find myself smacking my lips and contemplating licking the bowl dry.
Next Day: I made myself another bowl of Coconut Matcha. The flavors work so well together. It is sweet and creamy with notes of vegetation. There is almost a cocoa-y note here too, which I think is from the Matcha as I’ve experienced a somewhat chocolate-y flavor from Matcha in the past. I notice that the Matcha, which is often somewhat of a ‘bittersweet’ kind of taste for me usually is all sweet now, and I attribute that to the coconut flavor. I think that the coconut has managed to make the Matcha taste even sweeter and smoother than it usually does – it is creamier and more decadent with the coconut flavor.
As I have with the other Red Leaf Teas, I ordered this with the basic Matcha base and a distinctive level of coconut flavoring. I really like the “distinctive” level, as I think it manages to bring the two flavors on even footing – neither overwhelms the other. I taste the Matcha, and I taste the coconut. And I’m giddy with joy!
Caramel Matcha from Red Leaf Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green (Matcha)
Where to Buy: Red Leaf Tea
Tea Description:
For those with an unrepentant and unwavering sweet tooth, there is no better tea than sweet caramel matcha. This fine tea blends the eastern traditions of matcha with the modern caramel flavor to brew a delectable tea that is sweet to take as a mid-morning snack, before lunch aperitif or after dinner relaxing drink. The toned-down caramel matcha is ideal for those who need a sweet tea without adding any extra sugar.
Learn more about this Matcha here.
Taster’s Review:
Have I mentioned lately how much I adore Matcha and how much I LOVE Red Leaf Tea’s huge selection of flavored Matcha. But even more than that, what I really love is that Red Leaf Tea allows you to completely customize the Matcha! You can choose how much flavoring you want AND whether you a higher grade of Matcha.
And I have to tell you that this Caramel Matcha is so incredibly, decadently DELICIOUS! I chose the basic Matcha (while I would generally prefer a higher grade of Matcha for pure Matcha, when it comes to flavored Matcha, I find that the basic grade works well for me) with a distinctive level of flavoring, and I am in caramel heaven! So sweet and deliciously creamy. All that’s missing, really, is that chewy texture of a piece of caramel, and the sticky teeth. And to be very honest, I don’t really miss the sticky teeth…
This would make an excellent dessert substitution that tastes so good, that you’ll forget that you’re drinking something that’s actually quite healthy!
The caramel has a deep, rich flavor – it tastes smooth and creamy and decadent. As I sit here and savor this (and my chawan is nearly empty … it sure did disappear quickly!) my mind starts to wonder with thoughts of other ways to enjoy this Matcha. For example, I find myself wondering how this might taste with a pinch of sea salt in the bowl (I do love salted caramels!) Or maybe it might be delicious added as a flavoring for homemade ice cream (or even just sprinkled over some vanilla ice cream!)
But what I like best about this Matcha … is that even though the caramel flavor is good and strong, I can still taste the Matcha! Matcha seems like a perfect pairing with the caramel flavor, both are sweet and creamy and rich… they complement each other very well. The flavor of the Matcha seems to add some depth to the flavor of the caramel by lending a hint of vegetative earthiness to the cup (bowl), making this even more interesting and delicious.
If you love caramel and matcha – this Caramel Matcha from Red Leaf Tea is sure to be a hit!
Mint Earl Grey from Red Leaf Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Red Leaf Tea
Tea Description:
Ignite your nostrils with the amazing and captivating aroma of organic mint earl grey tea. The mix of Indian inspired black tea with an Asian inspired mint flair will keep you wanting more of this fabulous tea. Made from bergamot oil, earl grey’s fruit-like flavor blends splendidly with the aromatic and tasteful qualities of mint leaves. With a greenish-blue hue, mint earl grey pleases the eyes as well as the taste buds. The mint stimulates your senses and offers not only its naturally grown freshness but an abundance of essential vitamins. Mint’s satisfying aroma will welcome you and your guests and provide an inviting atmosphere fit for new acquaintances and old friends.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This is a very interesting blend, I don’t think I’ve seen another mint flavored Earl Grey before. But then, I shouldn’t be surprised that the one place TO find a Mint Earl Grey is Red Leaf Tea, as they have the most splendid collection of Earl Grey teas I’ve ever seen. If you like Earl Grey and enjoy a different twist on bergamot now and again, you really should check out Red Leaf Tea!
The black tea base is very pleasant and smooth. It has a richness to it and it’s very flavorful, but as black tea bases go, I find it to be pretty mellow. It isn’t trying to overpower the flavors – which in this case is a really good thing because both mint and bergamot tend to be very aggressive flavors – this tea blend is content to sit back in the background and provide a nice base of flavor while the flavors get all the time in the spotlight.
What I’m finding most interesting about this blend is how well the mint and the bergamot play together. They can both be very strong and sometimes selfish flavors – as I eluded to before – but, here they were flavored with an expert hand and neither ingredient seems to be attempting to overthrow the other. It’s a very harmonious combination of flavors.
The mint is not overly minty. The bergamot is not overdone either – this doesn’t taste soapy or perfume-y. The two ingredients seem to soften the sharper tones of each other to create a softer minty tone and a smooth bergamot taste. The result is a very pleasing taste that is just a little bit different. In this case, different is definitely good!