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__Morgana__ drank Matcha Kaze by Den's Tea

2036 tasting notes

4 oz water at 175F, 2 spoons matcha, whisk.

Second to last matcha in the cupboard that needs a tasting and a note. Tomorrow if all goes as planned, I will be able to say I’ve tasted and written notes about all my matchas!

I’ve also been taking matcha to work lately, which has been quietly fueling a very busy time for me. Honestly, it feels like the days are over before they start — my life is speeding by like a bullet train. I would love to trade that in for a little boredom and clock watching for a while.

This matcha is mild and vaguely pea-like. It has a slight bitter downturn at the end of the sip, which is oddly enjoyable. A slight marine note, too. It’s slightly grainy, despite sifting and a thorough whisk. I suspect that is user error.

What other slights can I add? One thing it isn’t: slightly sweet. Pretty much not at all, despite the pea note.

It isn’t my favorite of the matchas I’ve had recently but it’s a solid matcha.

Flavors: Marine, 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