92
drank Uji Matcha Manten by O-Cha.com
2036 tasting notes

While I fear this is somewhat wasted on me as my matcha palate is not very refined, I can definitely smell and taste the difference between this and some of the other matchas I’ve had lately.

First, it’s very grassy and not at all seaweedy. There’s nothing marine about it.

Second, it has a fascinating taste that is both sweet and a little bitter in the same sip. The sweetness is like green peas and the bitterness is a little like arugula or kale.

Finally, the body is neither very thick nor very thin. I believed this was supposed to be a thin matcha (though the description says “think” I believe that to be a typo ;-)) but then I read that it is supposed to be thick. I get neither very thick nor very thin out of this. I might try doubling the amount of matcha next time and see if it acquires a thickness.

Even with my not knowing whether I was able to get the consistency right, I admire the grassy sweet/vegetally bitter aspect of this that makes it different in flavor from other matchas I have tried.

Flavors: Freshly Cut Grass, Kale, Lettuce, Peas

Preparation
175 °F / 79 °C

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I got obsessed with tea in 2010 for a while, then other things intruded, then I cycled back to it. I seem to be continuing that in for a while, out for a while cycle. I have a short attention span, but no shortage of tea.

I’m a mom, writer, gamer, lawyer, reader, runner, traveler, and enjoyer of life, literature, art, music, thought and kindness, in no particular order. I write fantasy and science fiction under the name J. J. Roth.

Personal biases: I drink tea without additives. If a tea needs milk or sugar to improve its flavor, its unlikely I’ll rate it high. The exception is chai, which I drink with milk/sugar or substitute. Rooibos and honeybush were my gateway drugs, but as my tastes developed they became less appealing — I still enjoy nicely done blends. I do not mix well with tulsi or yerba mate, and savory teas are more often a miss than a hit with me. I used to hate hibiscus, but I’ve turned that corner. Licorice, not so much.

Since I find others’ rating legends helpful, I added my own. But I don’t really find myself hating most things I try.

I try to rate teas in relation to others of the same type, for example, Earl Greys against other Earl Greys. But if a tea rates very high with me, it’s a stand out against all other teas I’ve tried.

95-100 A once in a lifetime experience; the best there is

90-94 Excellent; first rate; top notch; really terrific; will definitely buy more

80-89 Very good; will likely buy more

70-79 Good; would enjoy again, might buy again

60-69 Okay; wouldn’t pass up if offered, but likely won’t buy again

Below 60 Meh, so-so, iffy, or ick. The lower the number, the closer to ick.

I don’t swap. It’s nothing personal, it’s just that I have way more tea than any one person needs and am not lacking for new things to try. Also, I have way too much going on already in daily life and the additional commitment to get packages to people adds to my already high stress level. (Maybe it shouldn’t, but it does.)

That said, I enjoy reading folks’ notes, talking about what I drink, and getting to “know” people virtually here on Steepster so I can get ideas of other things I might want to try if I can ever again justify buying more tea. I also like keeping track of what I drink and what I thought about it.

My current process for tea note generation is described in my note on this tea: https://steepster.com/teas/mariage-freres/6990-the-des-impressionnistes

Location

Bay Area, California

Website

http://www.jjroth.net

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