So, it took me a few cups to decide, but I’m really kind of digging this tea.
For some reason they don’t really explain on the website, but this is a Ryokucha, which apparently means it is blended with machta powder in addition to green tea leaves. This makes the tea a bit stronger and, um, green-er, preventing the citrusy yuzu from completely overpowering everything else.
The only problem is the packet is rather small (50g) and so the recommended preparation instructions (1 Tbsp tea / cup) mean that I’m almost running out already!
Preparation
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A steeped version of yuzu matcha? Yum! I hope 52teas catches that;)
Your entry on this has me convinced that Samovar and Rishi source from some of the same places. I wouldn’t be surprised if these are the same teas. I know that Samovar blends the majority of their stuff in house, but sometimes they send me things that come in the original packaging [really only Japanese – matcha, fukamushi sencha, and this one] and clearly those haven’t been messed with. This particular one was labeled yuzu ryokucha, is called yuzu sencha on their website, but looks like ryokucha to me.
Cofftea, in case I wasn’t clear above, this has both matcha and regular sencha leaves in it.
takgoti, I’ve not seen the Samovar stuff, but it’s entirely possible that you’re right. This came in a brown packet (somewhat different-looking and containing less tea than the other teas in my Rishi order) with a Rishi sticker labeled “Yuzucha” on one side and some unbranded sticker labeled “Yuzu Ryokucha 50g net” on the other.
@mlc, Yeah I know, but if it’s like mecha when you decant it, the liquor is not completely translucent- there are small particles floating in it.
@Cofftea Well, ryokucha by definition contains matcha, sencha, and toasted rice so if it were ryokucha then yeah, there should be small particles in it from the matcha that’s in it. In fact, that’s likely to happen with most japanese teas since the leaves are delicate and likely to be broken up either in the processing or in transit [especially depending on the type of sencha]. Just because something’s got some ground up leaf in it doesn’t equate to matcha, though. Fukamushi sencha is more broken up because of the processing so there might be small particles in it – but it isn’t matcha, really. High quality matcha powder is grown differently.
@mlc I had to go grab my packet to look at it and originally thought that the little brown things were rice, but on closer inspection in mine it looks like it’s actually grated yuzu rind. So I guess that our respective vendors were correct in switching this to sencha in their listings. The leaves also look like more of an asamushi sencha [though I can’t confirm this]. Sorry, I’m still new-ish to the Japanese green tea game and I’m kind of nerding out on information. I had to share.
Aha. According to Wikipedia, Ryokucha is just Japanese for “green tea.”
Pweh, no, you’re right. Sorry, I’ve got Samovar on the brain. That’s what their ryokucha is. I don’t think that extends to the general tea world [I think there’s another name for genmaicha with matcha, but I’m not familiar with it] so that’s my bad. The rest of the information should be legit, though. So that explains why Samovar changed their name [to avoid confusion]. I’m not sure why Rishi did, except to say that maybe it’s for specificity sake.
A steeped version of yuzu matcha? Yum! I hope 52teas catches that;)
Your entry on this has me convinced that Samovar and Rishi source from some of the same places. I wouldn’t be surprised if these are the same teas. I know that Samovar blends the majority of their stuff in house, but sometimes they send me things that come in the original packaging [really only Japanese – matcha, fukamushi sencha, and this one] and clearly those haven’t been messed with. This particular one was labeled yuzu ryokucha, is called yuzu sencha on their website, but looks like ryokucha to me.
Cofftea, in case I wasn’t clear above, this has both matcha and regular sencha leaves in it.
takgoti, I’ve not seen the Samovar stuff, but it’s entirely possible that you’re right. This came in a brown packet (somewhat different-looking and containing less tea than the other teas in my Rishi order) with a Rishi sticker labeled “Yuzucha” on one side and some unbranded sticker labeled “Yuzu Ryokucha 50g net” on the other.
@mlc, Yeah I know, but if it’s like mecha when you decant it, the liquor is not completely translucent- there are small particles floating in it.
@Cofftea Well, ryokucha by definition contains matcha, sencha, and toasted rice so if it were ryokucha then yeah, there should be small particles in it from the matcha that’s in it. In fact, that’s likely to happen with most japanese teas since the leaves are delicate and likely to be broken up either in the processing or in transit [especially depending on the type of sencha]. Just because something’s got some ground up leaf in it doesn’t equate to matcha, though. Fukamushi sencha is more broken up because of the processing so there might be small particles in it – but it isn’t matcha, really. High quality matcha powder is grown differently.
@mlc I had to go grab my packet to look at it and originally thought that the little brown things were rice, but on closer inspection in mine it looks like it’s actually grated yuzu rind. So I guess that our respective vendors were correct in switching this to sencha in their listings. The leaves also look like more of an asamushi sencha [though I can’t confirm this]. Sorry, I’m still new-ish to the Japanese green tea game and I’m kind of nerding out on information. I had to share.
Aha. According to Wikipedia, Ryokucha is just Japanese for “green tea.”
Pweh, no, you’re right. Sorry, I’ve got Samovar on the brain. That’s what their ryokucha is. I don’t think that extends to the general tea world [I think there’s another name for genmaicha with matcha, but I’m not familiar with it] so that’s my bad. The rest of the information should be legit, though. So that explains why Samovar changed their name [to avoid confusion]. I’m not sure why Rishi did, except to say that maybe it’s for specificity sake.