Black Currant Matcha

One of two matchas left to try from this order! I really didn’t need to order any more, but the sale sucked me in on this one. I’ve found that I really love blackcurrant teas, and I have a strange desire to recreate Harney & Sons Paris in matcha form. Which, obviously, you need blackcurrant for! Now I just need Earl Grey to complete it (caramel & cream are already in my cupboard). Plus I can always use more fruity matchas. I find that the dessert ones I really prefer as lattes, but I don’t want to drink milk all day long (I’m mildly lactose intolerant) so fruity matchas = nice cold iced drinks! I got:

Size: Small (30 grams)
Grade: Classic
Flavor: Delicate

In the bag this smells like… candy! As Dinosara mentioned, it really does smell like blackcurrant candies. I don’t think they are that common, but a store in my town sells these pretty tins of hard candies and blackcurrant is one of the flavors. Also, tasty Japanese gummies are flavored with it! I made a tall iced glass, and the bf sniffed it and declared “this smells like Fruit Rollups.” Yup, the smell is sugary-sweet! Very candy-like.

The taste too is very much like candy. I’m not getting that ripe berry taste, but more blackcurrant candy and matcha. With the strong matcha taste (since I only got the delicate flavor, the blackcurrant doesn’t overpower it at all) this reminds me of a Japanese candy so much. Like drinking melted gummies! I only added a bit of sugar, but I think this matcha is pretty sweet on its own somehow. It’s quite nice, though not at all what I originally expected it to be. It’ll be a great snack for curbing sugar cravings though! You can get some here:

http://www.redleaftea.com/matcha-tea/black-currant-matcha.html

Thanks AGAIN to Azzrian

I don’t know why – but – upon first sniff – this smelled like Lambrusco! Not sure why but it was an intriguing aroma regardless.

This froths-up real nice!

After adding water it still smells like a dry-wine but more subtle.

I know I am sounding like a broken record here but this is TASTY!

This has a more mellower flavor than some of the other flavored matchas but it seems to work really well! It’s slightly sweet and quite creamy-smooth. It’s comforting! I can taste a sweeter – more than a more tarty or bitter – Currant Flavor. It’s subtly-juicy.

Yup! A nice comparison and alternative to a wine…this flavored matcha!

Another winner!

Get it here:
http://www.redleaftea.com/matcha-tea/black-currant-matcha.html

This one is kind of hard to explain. Even with the robust flavoring it was not overwhelming nor sweet. I have never had black current so keep that in mind but I do like this – its very earthy and has almost an incense taste to it. Yet its not bitter at all. I am surprised by this one!
I think I expected it to be sweeter with more of a berry type flavor but its more like a grape but not really. Its very adult flavored would make an excellent wine out of currants I think. Maybe they do make wine out of currants. Now I need to find some to try on their own to get a better idea of what I should be tasting here in this matcha but for someone with absolutely no experience with currants other than in tea, and I’m usually pretty befuddled by it – yet always enjoy it – this is down right good.
I have a ton of candy like matcha and berry, citrus, etc but this stands on its own as a more earthy type of flavor. I did not add any sugar yet it has this very nice sweetness with a slight bite at the end – not bitter but sort of a tart essence that makes my mouth water just ever so slightly.
Wow this has been the hardest review for me to do so far just because I am so intrigued by this flavor. It does not even have to grow on me, I am a fan! The aroma from the dry form was a little on the chemical smelling side but it does not come though in the end result at all.

I got in on the 52teas/Red Leaf promo (really, a promo Red Leaf was offering to help out 52teas), and the coupon I got for it was tremendously generous; I ended up getting a lot of matcha. More to review! This one was added the day I was planning to make my order, and it was on sale that day, so it was fortuitous because I love black currant. I ordered this with the Basic matcha base and with robust flavoring, from here: http://www.redleaftea.com/matcha-tea/black-currant-matcha.html

Black currant is one of those European things you just don’t find in the states much, but I love it. When I opened the pouch of this matcha it smelled dead on like black currant candies, like the kind that you find in Europe instead of grape. I love how the purple candies in a mix of fruit chewy candies (like starburst) are black currant in Europe! That’s what this matcha smelled like in dry form.

I prepared it how I have been usually, which is to say 1 tsp of matcha sifted into a bowl, making sure to dump out the “flavor crystals” that collect at the bottom of my very fine sieve. I take a little ~180°F water just to loosen up the powder and make sure there are no clumps, then another couple ounces. Whisk very hard (I use a standard metal kitchen whisk) for 30 seconds, then add enough water so that the total amount of water added is 8oz (I measure out 8oz before I start the process and go from there).

I have to say, at first the aroma of the prepared matcha was a little funky to me, but I think I am still getting used to matcha. It did continue to smell like black currant candy, but with greenish matcha-y undertones. I sipped it while still pretty hot and decided to add about a teaspoon of sugar, which I find helps bring out the flavors a bit for me (though not entirely necessary). This is definitely a black currant candy flavor. I occasionally drink black currant juice, and other black currant teas, and the flavor is often darker and richer, in a way that is difficult to explain. This doesn’t taste like other black currant teas, it tastes like black currant candy (with some matcha of course)! Which while a little disappointing is not that disappointing because, as I said, I love black currant candy. If you do too, you’ll love this.

I just love this Matcha frothed up with milk and it does froth up very well. It is one of my favorites. I drink it cold and never get tired of it. I got it in robust.

Like this better than the fig, actually!
Thanks Dinosara!

Awesome as a cold, blended latte!

this flavour is truly incredible. it boosts my entire smoothie to an aromatic, fruity, aristocratic work of art!

truly brilliant. no time to review….. homework, homework. RED LEAF…… i am sharing with fellow students, who are also amazed by you!!!!