Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black, Oolong
Where to Buy: Verdant Tea
Tea Description:
A warm and comforting take on classic Genmaicha with the addition of Wuyi oolong and cacao nibs. . .
Genmaicha has humble origins- originally toasted rice was mixed into a pot to make expensive tea leaves go further in a time of less plenty than today. Toasted rice was combined with green tea or even broken twigs and stems to make a hearty and warming brew. At the time, green tea was for more widely available than black tea, but given the warming qualities of genmaicha, we thought that a humble hand-picked black tea from Laoshan Village would be the perfect companion for toasted rice.
This batch of Laoshan black is particularly malty and sweet, qualities drawn out by hand-crafted Minnesota wild rice and organic fair trade jasmine rice toasted in small batches. We add organic cacao nibs to give a darker and more comforting aftertaste, and a touch of Shui Jin Gui Wuyi oolong for its nutty caramel notes and savory aftertaste. All together, we think this new take on Genmaicha very much embraces the tea’s humble origins and stays true to the warm and satisfying nature of toasted rice tea.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I love Genmaicha and Laoshan Black Chocolate Genmaicha from Verdant Tea is no exception! This tea delivers exactly what it says it does in its description! I love the use of a Wyui oolong which provides a nutty sweet backdrop but I love even more the rock mineral flavor that gives this tea an overall earthy quality. I guess it makes me feel like while even though this tea is on the sweeter side it is also quite savory and I love nothing better than a sweet and savory flavor combined!
I was rather surprised at what a clear cup this turned out to be, a lovely amber brown color but I can see right to the bottom of my glass. The mouthfeel is on the creamy side but has a bright finish.
I love the toasty rice flavor and it really shines through! The cocoa nibs offer a delicious chocolate taste that is really nice, not fakey tasting at all.
I was expecting a bit richer of a flavor though. While there is a lovely caramel note, chocolate holds its own, and the rice is a lovely touch, overall I find it rather on the thin side in comparison to Laoshan Black on its own. Even with that said however I really think Verdant did well to offer us something completely unique and I would recommend this tea as it is so comforting as it is toasty, warm, sweet, malty, and quite decedent.
Laoshan Black Chocolate Genmaicha Blend from Verdant Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black & Oolong
Where to Buy: Verdant Tea
Tea Description:
This batch of Laoshan black is particularly malty and sweet, qualities drawn out by hand-crafted Minnesota wild rice and organic fair trade jasmine rice toasted in small batches. We add organic cacao nibs to give a darker and more comforting aftertaste, and a touch of Shui Jin Gui Wuyi oolong for its nutty caramel notes and savory aftertaste. All together, we think this new take on Genmaicha very much embraces the tea’s humble origins and stays true to the warm and satisfying nature of toasted rice tea.
Learn more about this blend here.
Taster’s Review:
Mmm! Wow! This Laoshan Black Chocolate Genmaicha Blend from Verdant Tea is AMAZINGLY good!
OK, so, what do you think of when you think Genmaicha? Green Tea with rice, right? Well, forget everything you think you know about Genmaicha … because this totally unique blend from Verdant Tea challenges everything you thought you knew about Genmaicha.
Instead of using a green tea for a base of this “Genmaicha,” Verdant Tea chose a rich, malty Laoshan Black tea and added toasted jasmine rice. Then Verdant added a touch of Wuyi Oolong which lightens the Black tea a little while giving the overall cup a smooth texture. And then … just to make it absolutely irresistible to this chocoholic, Verdant Tea added cacao nibs! Yum yum yum!
And that’s really what this tea is reducing me to … murmuring “yum yum yum” as I sip it. It is so good … so darned good that I find it difficult to come up with wordsy prose to celebrate it … it summons my inner child with its sweet, toasty, chocolate-y, caramel-y delightful deliciousness.
But since I am writing a review … I’ll try to tell you what I’m tasting. The black tea in this blend is most prominent, and as I mentioned before, it is rich and malty. Not bitter. Having tried the Laoshan Black Tea from Verdant previously, I know that not all of the chocolate-y notes that are dancing on my palate are not due to just the cacao nibs. The Laoshan Black Tea has a pleasing chocolate-y note as well. The chocolate notes and caramel notes of this tea really take this blend to an “over the top” status … this is so delicious and decadent!
The Shui Jin Gui Wuyi Oolong (which I haven’t yet reviewed but my Sister Azzrian has) brings a touch of fruity character as well as a nutty undertone and a touch of caramel to the cup as well. The rice adds a delicious toasty taste to the cup as well as dimension to the nutty tones of the cup.
And then … as if this tea needed another reason to drink it … there is CACAO NIBS in it … which means MORE chocolate. And you all remember my chocoholic’s equation, right? Some chocolate = good and more chocolate = better. This blend takes it right to BETTER with more chocolate!
This is just totally yum. I am sad now that I only purchased the sample size of this because I know I’m going to be craving it!
Browncoat Genmaicha from 52Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: 52Teas
Tea Description:
Our Browncoat Genmaicha is a premium Japanese genmaicha with organic cacao nibs and organic chocolate flavors. (Yes, it’s vegan too!) I’ve been doing some experimenting with genmaicha and while I normally would never think of blending green tea with chocolate, the toasty rice element in genmaicha makes it perfect for some rich, sweet chocolate tones. This being one of our nerdy homages, I don’t think it’s going to last very long, so get yours while it lasts.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I don’t watch Firefly. I don’t know what the Browncoat references … and I lose 50 nerd points.
But even though I don’t get the whole “Browncoat” thing, when I first read about this Browncoat Genmaicha from 52Teas – their tea of the week for December 10, 2011 – I was very excited and looked forward to trying it. Chocolate PLUS Genmaicha? Oh yeah! Sounds great to me.
And it is indeed great! The bittersweet flavor of chocolate melds beautifully with the sweet, toasty notes of the genmaicha. The result is a cup that is a little bit sweet, a little bit bitter (but in the way that chocolate is a little bitter) and a whole lot delicious.
The natural creamy notes of the genmaicha work well with the chocolate-y notes. It is a very comforting cup … and it’s tasty hot or cold! I know this because I got busy doing something, and my first cup of this tea went cold before I could enjoy it as a hot beverage … but I tasted it cold and it is really good like that! YUM!
Banana Cheesecake Genmaicha Green Tea from 52Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: 52Teas
Tea Description:
Following the success of our Marshmallow Treat Genmaicha, I’ve decided to try another genmaicha blend. The toasted rice element in genmaicha seems to make it okay to blend it with flavors like cheesecake and banana. (Normally I tend to think of fruity green teas, but I think the genmaicha is more agreeable with ‘heavier’ flavors like cheesecake and banana.) Of course, you, our customer will have to be the final judge. This being a cheesecake blend, and given the historical swiftness with which our cheesecake blends disappear, I did make a little extra of this, but don’t drag your feet, it won’t last long.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
OK … not that I had my doubts or anything … but this Banana Cheesecake Genmaicha Green Tea from 52Teas is SERIOUSLY yummy.
Having enjoyed Frank’s Marshmallow Treat Genmaicha, I knew that I’d like this one too, after all, I love genmaicha – that roasty/toasty, popped rice flavor together with the sweet flavor of green tea, and I love Frank’s cheesecake and his banana teas. So I knew I’d like this. But … it still is blowing me away at how good this really is.
The banana comes through nicely. It is sweet and the creaminess of the banana melds beautifully with the toasty, nutty flavor of the genmaicha and the deliciously creamy, tangy flavor of the cheesecake notes. The nutty flavor of the genmaicha also plays to the buttery crust flavor too.
The creaminess of this cup seems to emerge more as the tea cools slightly … it becomes more mellow and creamy, but that zesty cream cheese flavor comes through at the finish … reminding you that you’re eating … (err … drinking!) cheesecake.
The genmaicha is a perfectly delightful base for the cheesecake flavors. The lightly buttery, sweet taste of the green tea works nicely with the sweet, creamy cheesecake notes and as I mentioned, the toasted nut flavor of the genmaicha also brings out the crust notes well too.
This is definitely one of Frank’s best cheesecake offerings yet. I love this!
Organic Sticky Rice Oolong from Driftwood Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Driftwood Tea
Tea Description:
As with all of our scented teas, Organic Sticky Rice Oolong is naturally flavoured. It gains its unique scented from a herb native to the Yunnan Province of China – where many of the Chinese/Thai population of Mae Salong descend from – called Nuo Mi Xiang Nen Ye.
The leaves of this small aromatic plant are layered with freshly picked Thai Oolong 17 and allowed to slowly impart their beautifully sweet, sticky rice aroma.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
When I first opened the pouch of this tea, I was shocked by the scent. It really smells like rice. This smells like the Jasmine Rice that I prepare for my family on a regular basis (the rice that I keep on hand and my preferred starch for the family meals). The aroma becomes even more obvious as it brews … it really smells like I’m cooking rice! If my husband were home, he’d be asking me for a bowl of rice!
The flavor is very much like rice too. It tastes like the rice that sort of sticks at the bottom of the rice cooker, that becomes slightly caramelized. This is my favorite part – because it tastes sweet, has a wonderful, chewy texture and has a delicious caramel-y flavor to it (and it’s even better if I top it with a drizzle of melted butter). This rice treat tastes a lot like a cross between kettle corn and caramel corn … and that’s why I love it so much.
And this tea tastes so much like that! But I taste the Oolong too. It has hints of vegetal and floral notes, with the floral notes revealing more of themselves as I continue to sip.
With subsequent infusions, the rice fragrance in the brewed tea diminishes quite a bit, but the flavor is still there. It is softer, but it is still there. It still tastes like popcorn, but, some of the buttery quality is gone now, it’s not quite as creamy now as it was in the first cup. The floral tones begin to emerge – this is a different cup, definitely, than the first. Still very enjoyable, but I find myself wanting a little more of the creamy caramel notes that were so delectable in the first cup.
A really delightful tea – I don’t know if it is quite as good as an Ali Shan Oolong (my favorite!) but, it is definitely good for a change of pace. This could easily become a staple in my cupboard because I can see this tea becoming something I CRAVE! I love it.