Argh, I was really looking forward to the Alishan and magnolia oolong I cold brewed overnight for my morning commute the other day but forgot it on the kitchen counter. It was a hot day and I was craving something fresh and chilled. So on the way to work, I took a quick detour to the Japanese dollar store which carries a variety of different bottled teas.
I picked this up as it was a brand I hadn’t seen before and the color was actually green instead of the amber, oxidized color found in most bottled green teas. The writing on the bottle was nearly all in Japanese save for the nutritional label but thanks to Google Lens I was able to decipher some of it.
Apparently this is a green tea with matcha and there was also a mention of lemon. Upon tasting, it’s definitely a straight green tea. It’s similar to Ito-En and Pokka bottled/canned teas, but cleaner tasting and more fresh. There’s an avocado like richness and a citrusy finish (perhaps that’s what the lemon in the translation refers to?). Very balanced without any bitterness. If there’s matcha in it, it must be a small amount because it’s not cloudy and doesn’t have any chalkiness. It tastes like a good Sencha that I would brew at home.
A little pricier than the other bottled green teas you’ll find on the grocery shelf but the quality in evident.
Flavors: Citrus, Creamy, Grass
