Alright. So I opened the bag of this one is POW! Lots of sweet marshmallowy smells came jumping out at me. I thought this would mean it was going to be super marshmallow tasting (oh no!), but once I scooped out a tsp and put it in the pot, the smell was much more balanced. I guess all together it was just too much!
The smell of this one dry is more marshmallow than anything else. There are the roasty/toasty genmaicha notes that I love so much, but it is mostly marshmallow. The scent DOES remind me a Marshmallow Treats, which is awesome. I used to love those when I was a kid.
Once brewed, the marshmallow calms down further, and the toasty notes of the genmaicha stand out a bit more. Yay! It still reminds me of treats, but now there is a little more depth to the smell. It’s both sweet AND toasty. The toasted rice smells awesome.
Taste-wise, I’m picking up subtle/mild marshmallow notes, and these are especially notable at the back of the sip. I’m picking up the toasty, earthy genmaicha the most – not a bad thing. The marshmallow root does add a sweetness to the genmaicha that is completely different and interesting. The marshmallow treat taste is there, it’s just not as heavy as it was in the smell – again, I don’t think this is a bad thing. Yes, I quite like it. The mouthfeel is very “fluffy”. It’s got a lot working for it. It’s not overly sweet, it allows the genmaicha to shine, and it brings back childhood memories. =)
Overall, I’d say this one is a win.
NOTE: Once it cools down a bit, the marshmallow becomes more detectable. I like it best after it sits for a few minutes.
yum! jealous! :)
I’m also jealous. It was sold out by the time I woke up in the UK! Sounds really lovely, though. I can almost taste it.