Country of Origin: Japan
Leaf Appearance: dark green, lots of puffed rice pieces
Ingredients: green tea, browned rice
Steep time: 3 minutes
Water Temperature: 185 degrees
Preparation Method: porcelain teacup and mesh infuser
Liquor: gold
Genmaicha is often seen as a bland or run of the mill tea but I adore its comforting flavor. This particular one from Zentboutique had a fairly large proportion of browned rice to tea leaves. I usually like to see more tea than rice but that’s really just a matter of personal preference. The taste was nutty and vegetal with a subtle sweetness. The mouth-feel was smooth with no bitterness. I really wish I had more than just a small sample because I love making a big pot of genmaicha on a cold winter day. It always seems to have a warming affect on me. Most of the teas that I’ve tried from this Canadian retailer have been excellent in quality and very well priced.
Genmaicha sample provided by Zentboutique.