Minnesota Blend

I ordered just a sample size of this, because on the one hand, it sounds amazing, but on the other hand, my love for green teas and green blends has been flagging lately, and I wasn’t sure if I would love it.

The blend looks lovely—Laoshan Green tea in those familiar curls, with yellow safflowers, long rice grains, and juniper berries. The brew comes out very harmonious, with a vegetal green base that isn’t distracting or too heady, and a rich, buttery finish with hints of vanilla and toasted rice, the rice being less evident than in the Laoshan Chocolate Genmaicha. I’m not sure if I’m getting anything from the juniper or safflowers, but then again, the berries might just be there for decoration. Overall, it’s a comforting and enjoyable blend, and worth trying, though I’m not sure I’ll get more as it’s not often available, and didn’t amaze me so much that I would search far and wide for it.

Cameron B. was nice enough to send me a sample of this the other day-thanks! :D
This one also seems to be popular, so I had to try.
And honestly,I’m really not all that sure what to think. It’s pretty buttery, and has a lot of vanilla notes in it. It’s like a buttery, vanilla, genmaicha.
Because while the vanilla and buttery notes mainly dominate this tea, I can still taste the toasted rice…It’s very different. Unique.
Not like anything I’ve ever had before.
I’ll have to try it again sometime before I decide if I really like it.
I mean, I really like how it’s like a vanilla genmaicha…just the butter flavors kinda turn me off. I can see myself either really liking this one, or feeling really really sick from the buttery-ness of it. xD I’ll have to rate this one later when I’ve sorted my feelings for this one! Thank you soo much for the sample, Cameron B.! :D

Backlog:

I’m really glad that I got to try this blend. It’s a wild and crazy twist on the classic genmaicha. Notes of vanilla, pine, sweet nutty flavors from the rice, notes of edamame. I smell more of the saffron than I taste but after several sips, the flavor of the saffron develops a little.

Really tasty and unique. Here’s my full-length review: http://sororiteasisters.com/2014/08/03/minnesota-blend-from-verdant-tea/

I’ve hoarded my last little bit of this, because I was afraid I’d never be able to try it again after finishing it off. But I see on the Verdant site that they’ve blended it again, so another sip down.

Now I just need to figure out if I’m gonna order an obscene amount or just a moderately obscene amount. I still haven’t decided.

Many thanks to Cameron B for providing the sample!

Sad Sipdown (123)!

First off, this is tasting note 1900! Woot! That means the next really big number is going to be 2000 – I think I need to start planning now for what tea I’ll celebrate that landmark with…

Thank you Cameron B. for sharing a cup worth of this awesome limited edition blend. I had no idea I wanted to try it until you wrote about it, and then after I did some looking in to it I felt like I had to try it even though I was hoping so much that I’d hate it. Why was I hoping I’d hate it? ‘Cause the only thing worse than hating a tea blend is falling in love with a limited edition blend. And of course, that’s what happened.

Aesthetically, the tea blend is beautiful! The deep green leaves make the yellow marigold really pop, and the juniper berries are super fun to look at. Smell wise, I don’t get a lot from the dry leaf, but steeping it smells like a high quality traditional Genmaicha; a little greener than roasty.

Taste wise; this is really smooth and silky. It weighs only slightly more on the green side than the roasty, but both are present and really well executed. I’m gonna have to agree with Cameron B. and say that the primary flavour I’m getting from the green base is butternut squash. Yummy! The roasty brown rice has a nice nutty quality to it as well that I’m also noticing. But most importantly, this has the most divine vanilla flavour. It’s gentle, but man is it present and very, very raw/natural. The vanilla really makes the tea, and honestly I haven’t tasted a vanilla flavour as amazing as this since Butiki’s Creamy Eggnog; which is pretty close to the perfect green vanilla tea. The green base here even shares the same buttery aspect alongside the very gentle vegetal taste.

I honestly don’t taste much of the Juniper berries (you’re right Cam, Junipers do have a sorta pine like quality to them) but I think I ever so faintly get a peek at the very, very end of the sip. If there’s one thing I’d want more of in this blend, it’s the Junipers…

But even so, I’m in love. I want more of this, like now. At least 2 oz. of it would make me a very, very happy tea drinker – ‘cause guys, I’m like 99% sure this is my Japon. It’s so smooth and silky and creamy, and rich in the most calming and pacifying way. And very subtly flavoured.

And dammit, ‘cause it’s limited edition! GAH!

GA! GA! OH LA LA!

…sorry. I was really excited for this blend, and I love Sarsonator forever for sending me a sample! I had to add this tea to the database, so I guess no one else on here has tried it yet? Hooray pressure! ;)

So, this is a genmaicha with some unconventional ingredients. I’ve had the base tea on its own and enjoyed it, I remember it being a smooth and creamy light green tea. This tea has two types of toasted rice – jasmine and Minnesota wild. There are also lovely golden flower petals for color, and juniper berries (I assume they’re dried, but they still have their plump fresh appearance). I didn’t see any vanilla bean pieces in mine, but supposedly they’re in there. The dry scent is toasted grains with a very light vegetal note in the background.

Brewed, the aroma is a basic genmaicha – green tea (albeit a mild green tea) and lovely toasted rice. Have I mentioned I love genmaicha? Sipping this tea, I get the impression of a traditional genmaicha done very well. The base tea is exceptionally smooth and creamy, its main vegetal note would be butternut squash. As I near the end of the sip, it becomes creamy vanilla almond or soy milk. Mmm… The toasted rice adds that lovely nutty flavor, and goes perfectly with the creamy soy and light oat notes of the base tea. I would have enjoyed a tad bit more vanilla, as I only really find it near the end of the sip. But I digress! I honestly am unsure what juniper berries taste like, but I would assume similar to pine? Either way, I don’t get any of that here. Same with the saffron.

Overall, I actually really like this tea. I would consider it more of a traditional genmaicha, but exceptionally smooth and creamy. Delicious! :)

Edit: I forgot to mention that this blend was created for Lady Gaga, in case anyone was confused by the beginning of the note… Lol.