This is the second genmaicha I’ve tried, and this is the second time I’ve tried this one.
Every once in awhile, I get this strange craving for genmaicha, so I brew up a cup (in this case, a small pot), and then as I’m drinking it, I really don’t like it.
But I drink it anyway since it satisfies the craving… and it’s better than actual popcorn loaded with butter!
I’m on my second steeping of this one, and I think I prefer it to Teavana’s Gyokuro Genmaicha. The bancha green is smooth and there’s a bit of caramelly taste toward the beginning of the sip. The rice is toasty but it doesn’t overpower the tea, and it’s very earthy. Not necessarily earthy in the sense that a pu’erh is earthy, but maybe grounded or solid is the word I’m looking for.
I can’t see myself ordering this again, but I’ll get around to drinking genmaichas if people give them to me :)