Brewed this up in one of the pieces of pottery I picked up while in Victoria this past week!! Though I’ve always loved houjicha, I’ve been especially interested in blended houjicha as of late and Rishi has a few more unique options that have been fun to explore. This one, which uses shiso leaf in addition to mint and bamboo ginger, had my eyebrows turned up from the moment I opened the bag of dry leaf to take a sniff because it smells so potently and precisely of snow peas at that exact moment you snap one in half and the essential oils are released in one crisp motion; sweet, earthy, fresh and vegetal with a slight resin note.
It tastes a bit like that when steeped too, but mostly it’s the tingly and cooling combination of shiso and mint that stand out the most against a warm backdrop of cozy, roasty hojicha with strong notes of toasted nuts and grains. Of the handful of Rishi’s houjicha blends I’ve gotten to try, this has definitely been my favourite!
Tea Photo: https://www.instagram.com/p/CtKgvuuOwtT/
Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvzctFHXfGs