Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green (Matcha)
Where to Buy: Red Leaf Tea
Tea Description:
Deliciously tart gooseberries can acquire a more balanced and mellow taste by adding the well loved Matcha twist. A Gooseberry Matcha drink is the perfect refreshment after a hardworking day. It can also be a cool fruity drink on warm balmy days when someone wants to soak in the sun with a trendy drink at hand to sip and relish. This fine drink can easily become the favorite in the special occasions of young children because of its fruity charms and sweet sharp taste. Gooseberry Matcha is also a wonderful addition to any refreshment offering on special occasions.
Learn more about this flavored matcha here.
Taster’s Review:
I’m not sure exactly what possessed me to order this Gooseberry Flavored Matcha from Red Leaf Tea, to be honest with you. I can’t tell you that I’ve ever tasted a gooseberry, because I don’t think I have. Or if I have, I was unaware of it. I don’t know that I’ve even tried a tea with gooseberry in it. And if I have, it wasn’t memorable enough for me to recall at the moment.
But I figured if I am not *crazy* about the flavor of gooseberry, this is always a Matcha that I can add to my smoothies or blend with other flavored Matcha … so I figured, what the heck, why not!
So I prepared this Matcha the way I usually prepare Matcha – first, I scoop the Matcha into my wire mesh strainer to sift it into my chawan and then I add hot water to the sifted Matcha in the bowl and whisk the Matcha with my chasen (bamboo whisk). The Matcha produced a nice frothy cap, and the bubbly froth stayed around. That is, it didn’t disappear quickly. I got to enjoy the foamy froth for a while.
Mmm! Sweet and tart. It has a fruity taste that sort of reminds me of grapes and peaches. It almost has a “candy-like” flavor to it because it is so distinctly sweet and tart, reminiscent of the sweet tart type of candies.
The sweetness starts at the start of the sip, and the tartness comes in toward the tail, and lingers long into the aftertaste. Even a full minute after my last sip, I’m still tasting that tart, tingly berry taste that tickles the tongue after eating a ripe berry. Of course, I don’t know if one experiences that tarty, tingly, tickle on the tongue from gooseberries, but, I know that I experience it with other berries that I’ve eaten!
The Matcha tastes sweet, vegetative, buttery and it has a smooth and creamy texture. For this particular batch of Matcha, I went with my “usual specifications,” which are Red Leaf Tea’s classic grade of green Matcha and the distinctive level of flavoring. These are my usual go-to specifications because they usually produce a flavored Matcha that is a good balance between Matcha and flavor and that is true with this blend. I like that I taste the fruity elements here as well as the delicious taste of Matcha.
Now, I can’t say that this is my favorite flavored Matcha that I’ve tried from Red Leaf Tea – because it isn’t. But I am enjoying it, and I’m really glad I tried it. Definitely a little bit different, but not so different. There are some familiar notes in this one, and I like it.
Grapefruit Flavored Matcha Green Tea from Red Leaf Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green (Matcha)
Where to Buy: Red Leaf Tea
Tea Description:
Vibrant palates who want an instant lift and a sharp boost of citrus fruitiness would not be disappointed with Grapefruit Matcha. This fine adult drink is a perfect combination of the tangy citrus taste of the fleshy grapefruit combined with exotic Matcha to dull its sharp edges. Grapefruit Matcha is the perfect treat for many adults who want to feel alive and aware of their surroundings through their taste buds.
Learn more about this flavored matcha here.
Taster’s Review:
Do you occasionally suffer from bored taste buds? The tongue just sort of feels like it’s a weighed down, lifeless muscle? What you need is some of this Grapefruit Flavored Matcha Green Tea from Red Leaf Tea! This is about as perfect as it gets when it comes to flavored Matcha.
Why? Because the sharp tartness and bitter tones of the grapefruit provide such a delightful contrast to the sweet Matcha. In one sip, I taste the sweet, grassy tones of the Matcha and the smooth buttery taste and texture of the powdered green tea, and the bright tangy qualities of the grapefruit. It really gives the taste buds a jump start! Even the sleepiest, laziest, most bored palate on earth will wake with an invigorated jolt at first sip!
For this particular Matcha order, I used my “regular” specifications: the classic grade of green Matcha and the distinctive level of flavoring. And it’s perfect for me! The grapefruit is VERY strongly flavored in here – there’s no mistaking it. And even though I’m often mentioning that I’m not fond of tart flavors … grapefruit is my exception to that. There is just something about grapefruit that … tastes amazing with tea. Especially green tea!
This is one of my favorite flavored Matcha teas that I’ve tried thus far from Red Leaf Tea. The Matcha is naturally invigorating – Matcha is not something you want to prepare if you’re planning on taking a nap or going to bed any time soon, let me put it that way! And the bright citrus tones of this flavored Matcha is very enlivening! It feels like a party on my palate when I take a sip! My taste buds rejoice in the flavor!
I prepared this flavored matcha traditionally, by measuring a few scoops out into my sifter and sifting the matcha into my chawan. Even though Red Leaf Tea does pre-sift their Matcha for the customer’s convenience, I’ve made it a habit to always sift my Matcha and it’s not a habit I want to break! Then I adding hot water and whisked with my chasen until the Matcha was completely incorporated in the hot water and there was a foamy froth on top.
I don’t know how I’d like this as a latte, because milk with grapefruit sounds … kind of weird to me. However, I do think that the next time I make some of this Grapefruit Matcha, I’m going to add a pinch of salt to the chawan before I whisk it. I like to add a pinch of salt to a fresh, halved grapefruit before I eat it because I like the way the salt counters the bitterness of the fruit. I would be interested to see how the salt tastes in this.
I prefer this hot. I had to step away from my Matcha for a little while this afternoon, and when I came back, the tea was cold. It was still tasty cold … but I preferred it hot. I think that this would make an excellent tea choice for breakfast. Oh sure, it’s not the typical “breakfast” tea … but I know it’s got what it takes to get me going … and it’s oh-so-yummy!
Sangria Flavored Matcha from Red Leaf Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green (Matcha)
Where to Buy: Red Leaf Tea
Tea Description:
Sangria Matcha is the perfect answer for those adults looking for a fruity platter treat that has a dash of exotic Matcha and tastes of refreshing spices. This delectable treat is a perfect after hours drink that brings its well rounded charm into the palate. It can be taken with a fine assortment of many snacks and meals to add to their overall flavor and also make things more exciting. This fine treat is great for adults who love the tangy tasty combination of many fruits on their palates.
Learn more about this flavored matcha here.
Taster’s Review:
I’ve not consumed a lot of sangria in my time. As I’ve mentioned on other occasions, I don’t drink a lot of alcoholic beverages. But I am enjoying some of the alcoholic beverage inspired matcha blends from Red Leaf Tea, like this Sangria Flavored Matcha! This is really tasty.
This particular flavored matcha was crafted with the robust flavoring level and the classic grade of Matcha. I find the flavoring to be a little too robust for my personal preference, I think I would rather have this as a distinctive level of flavor and then perhaps with a higher grade of Matcha.
As it is, the flavor is sweet and fruity! I taste just a hint of a brandy-like note as well as a hint of wine … but mostly what I taste is a lot of fruit flavor. I notice citrus notes and sweet berries. The matcha is creamy and vegetative with buttery notes and I like the way this accents the fruit tones.
My SororiTea Sister, Azzrian, mentioned on Steepster that she likes this with sparkling water, and I think that this would be really amazing prepared that way. I prepared my sampling of this traditionally, using hot water and whisking in my chawan. The tea produced a nice froth, but I found that the froth disappeared pretty quickly. The prepared matcha was smooth, creamy and very fruity.
But I had to step away from my chawan before I finished the bowl, and by the time I returned to it, the matcha was cold. However, I was happy to see that the matcha was still incorporated in the water – it hadn’t settled to the bottom of the bowl.
I find that I like this even better cold than hot! This is really a refreshing cold drink! It’s almost “juice-like” with the fruit flavor, and the fruit notes really seem to POP when it cools off. A really pleasant flavored matcha!
Cheesecake Flavored Black Tea Matcha from Red Leaf Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black (Matcha)
Where to Buy: Red Leaf Tea
Tea Description:
When the much loved cheesecake is combined with exotic Matcha, the resulting Cheesecake Matcha is unforgettable and very delicious. With its creamy and buttery undertones and a hint of Matcha spiciness, a Cheesecake Matcha treat can easily take its place among the everyday favorite snack choices. This versatile treat adapts to the palate and can sometimes taste salty or creamy or sour depending on who is enjoying it. This varied taste makes this delectable treat truly exceptional and very favored among those who prefer non sweet snacks in their refreshment alternatives.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I loved the classic grade of traditional green Matcha flavored with the Cheesecake flavoring from Red Leaf Tea (see my review of it here) … so, I was a little hesitant to order the black tea version of this flavor. I mean, I was a little worried that maybe this wouldn’t be a win and that could possibly ruin the cheesecake matcha experience for me.
But, I”m really glad I decided to try this Cheesecake Flavored Black Tea Matcha from Red Leaf Tea … because, you know what? I like this even BETTER than the green tea variety! The black tea is the perfect companion for the sweet, creamy, luscious cheesecake flavors!
Just like the green tea version – this is sweet and creamy tasting – but there is just … something about the black tea base allows the tangy cream cheese notes to come out even better. This tastes MORE like real cheesecake in liquid form to me than the green tea variety. I’m getting a more focused “cheesecake” flavor with the black tea base, and I even taste more of the buttery, graham cracker-like crust notes with this blend … perhaps it’s the rich, sweet tones of the black tea that helps bring these flavors forward.
Oh, don’t get me wrong, I still have a lot of love for the classic green tea base for the cheesecake flavoring. Both are absolutely delightful. And if you liked the cheesecake green tea Matcha from Red Leaf Tea … you’ve got to try the black tea version … you’ll LOVE it. It’s so good!
Just … don’t drink it before bedtime, or you’ll find it difficult to sleep … because this really ENERGIZES!
Irish Cream Flavored Matcha from Red Leaf Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green (Matcha)
Where to Buy: Red Leaf Tea
Tea Description:
Irish Cream with its intoxicating mix of ingredients gets more exciting when combined with the oriental touch of Matcha. Irish cream Matcha is a perfect treat for adults who are looking for a sophisticated snack made up of adventurous ingredients. This unforgettable treat is perfect for after hours, over the weekend or for those special occasions when adults have gathered to bond and have fun. It’s interesting color and arresting taste makes Irish cream Matcha a firm favorite for many adults who want to expand their repertoire of personal entertainment.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Yummy! I prepared a latte for this tasting of Irish Cream Flavored Matcha from Red Leaf Tea, and it is absolutely divine! Sweet, creamy, and I can taste the hint of coffee as well as a whiskey note.
For this batch of flavored Matcha from Red Leaf Tea, I went with my usual specifications: the classic grade of Matcha and the distinctive level of flavoring, and again, the distinctive level is just perfect for my taste. (That happens more often than not!) There is a good balance between flavoring and the buttery, vegetative notes of Matcha.
And one thing that I notice here, and perhaps it is because the flavoring is representative of an alcoholic beverage, that I don’t notice that sort of “artificial” flavoring that I sometimes get from the flavoring that Red Leaf Tea uses. This just tastes like … Irish Cream liqueur and Matcha. But rather than feeling lightheaded after drinking an actual mixed cocktail with these two ingredients, I feel focused thanks to the invigorating powers of Matcha! (Although, now that I think about it, that could make for a very intriguing cocktail, indeed! I’m envisioning it served warm … something that will warm me up in the winter!)
To make my latte, I used 2% milk and heated it. As the milk was heating, I measured out several scoops of Irish Cream flavored Matcha into my sifter and sifted the matcha into my chawan. (Note: Red Leaf Tea does pre-sift their Matcha for all their customers, but, I still sift the Matcha more out of habit than anything else. I like to keep up the habit even when I’m about to enjoy a Matcha that I know has already been sifted, because I don’t want to fall out of the habit, you know?)
Once the milk was heated, I carefully poured it into my chawan and stirred it with a fork until everything was well-incorporated and I was sure that no clumps were stuck to the bottom of my chawan. I don’t typically use my chasen to whisk Matcha lattes because I don’t want the milk to possibly produce bacteria on my bamboo whisk. After I was sure the Matcha was all mixed into the milk, I took my hand-held frothing tool and whipped the Matcha to get a light froth on top. This didn’t froth up quite as much as I would have liked … I’m not sure if that’s because I used all milk rather than a milk and water combination.
Regardless, the latte was absolutely delicious … and it disappeared from my chawan almost instantly it tasted so good! I really, really like this flavor. If you’ve been hesitant to try Red Leaf Tea’s flavored Matcha … this one would be a great place to start. It’s really good!