Tea Review: World Heritage Genmaicha (Kaneroku Matsumoto-en/Yunomi)

World Heritage Genmaicha (玄米茶)

Yunomi/Kaneroku Matsumoto-en
Type: Flavored Green
Origin: Japan, Shizuoka, Shimada
Product Description: 

Award winning Genmaicha!

Genmaicha using first flush green tea grown in Shimada, Shizuoka Prefecture, and rice grown in Shiroyone Senmaida, Ishikawa Prefecture, on the Noto Peninsula. Both places are registered as Agricultural World Heritage. This Genmaicha is awarded No.1 'Natural Flavor', Japanese Tea award in 2014.

Temperature: 175° F
Amount: 3 grams
Steeping Time: 2 minutes

The dry leaf aroma is marine green with rice cracker notes.

The liquor is yellow-green and slightly cloudy with toasty notes of rice crackers and marine green notes of nori.  The taste is green, savory, and mildly astringent with toasty rice cracker notes and a long, sweet green, and toasty finish.

I really enjoyed the results when preparing this tea with 175° F water, a 2-minute initial steeping, and 1-minute second and third steepings.  The flavors were bold with the fresh, spring-green taste of the tea leaves and toasted rice with just a touch of astringency.  By the third infusion, the toasted rice notes had moved to the front in aroma and flavor.  For those who prefer more astringency, consider preparing this tea following the recommendations on the packaging by using 5 grams of leaf, 195° F water, and steeping for 1 minute.

The tea aroma reminded me distinctly of norimaki arare (rice crackers wrapped in dried seaweed) while the taste reminded me of yaki onigiri (grilled rice balls) or bottom rice (the good stuff that sticks to the bottom of the pot after the rice is cooked) which is only unfortunate because I have access to none of these tasty foods as I write this review.

This tea was part of a New Year fukubukuro/lucky bag I purchased from Yunomi.  I'm so pleased with what was included that I'll have to do it again next New Year!