Country of Origin: Japan
Leaf Appearance: bright green, powdered
Ingredients: green tea
Steep Time: n/a
Water Temperature: approximately 175 degrees
Preparation Method: traditional, bamboo whisk and bowl
Liquor: dark green
I picked up this seasonal matcha when I visited Ippodo Tea Co.’s shop in New York City. It’s only available in autumn and the sample I had tried in the store was delicious. I’ll be honest, I bought it mostly because of the adorable box that is decorated with tea blossoms. As often as I make tea, I am generally pretty terrible at making matcha. That doesn’t stop me from trying though. The color was so vibrant that it was impossible to capture the exact color. It tasted very much like classic matcha but with a deeper flavor that had a slightly sharper astringency. There was umami out the wazoo and it never bordered on overly bitter despite my ineptitude. If you can get to their shop, I definitely recommend giving it a try. They advise to finish the package within two weeks of opening so it looks like I’ll be drinking a lot of matcha 🙂
Tsukikage Special Matcha purchased from Ippodo Tea Co.