Before writing this review, I would have not guessed this was a green tea I was drinking, in fact, when I started researching it, I instinctively looked under “black teas” on the Culinary Teas website, simply because it has such a dark character about it.
I knew I would like it from the strong smoky nutty flavor. I’m already a fan of Lapsang Souchoung, another roasted tea, so I was hopeful that this would be a similar experience and it was – just in a slightly different way than Lapsang Souchong.
Drinking this tea gives you a warm golden feeling, and is best served plain without any sugar or milk.
Culinary Teas describes this tea as:
Hojicha Uji – Japanese Roasted Tea
Country of Origin: Japan
Region: Shizuoka Prefecture
Shipping Port: Tokyo
Grade: Uji
Altitude: 500 – 1500 feet
Manufacture Type: Steamed and roasted green tea
Cup Characteristics: The roasted green tea takes on a full bodied character with almost cinnamon toast-like notes. Delicious character that many tea drinkers enjoy
Infusion: Deep orange red with golden notesInformation: Hojicha was invented in 1920 by a tea merchant in Kyoto (a former Imperial capital) who did not know what to do with a surplus stock of old tea leaves until he had the idea of roasting them. He created a new tea.
Hojicha is a roasted green tea which gives it a nutty flavor with almost mocha like notes.
This tea is great for drinking year round, however it gives one a special pleasure from drinking it in the fall and winter seasons as the roasted flavor is really pronounced. A very unique tea that is really delicious, especially if the idea of roasted tea leaves appeals to you like it does to me!
And this tea never gets sharp or bitter. The roasting replaces the vegetative tones of standard green tea with a toasty, slightly caramel-like flavor. The roasting process used to make Hōjicha lowers the amount of caffeine in the tea as well, making it an ideal evening tea also!
"![[Google]]( http://www.teareviewblog.com/wp-content/plugins/easy-adsenser/google-light.gif)
Recent Comments
"When I was a kid, in the middle of winter, my friend Penny and I eachbought a quart of ice cream, skated to the island in the middle of our lake and ate them. Soooo good and soooo naughty. It keeps us young to be naughty sometimes. I would just go for it an enjoy!"
marlena said, in reply to Better Belly Blend from Two Leaves and a Bud on August 30, 2010 at 12:35 pm
marlena on:
Better Belly Blend from Two Leaves and a Bud
"Well, as someone who has tasted a lot of chai tea, I can attest that this really is not very similar in taste to Chai. Chai tends to focus on the spices, whereas this tea’s focus is on the orange, with the spices being very gentle and more of an accent to the orange."
liber-teas said, in reply to Harvest Orange Spice from Octavia Tea on August 25, 2010 at 11:00 pm
liber-teas on:
Harvest Orange Spice from Octavia Tea
"How fun! I love drinking tea so I love that you have a whole blog related to reviewing them. One brand that I really love that I don’t see on your list is the Portsmouth Tea Company. When I lived in Boston I used to buy lots of their teas and they were oh so unique. They had some really great fruity and floral blends. It’s interesting that..."
Kelly said, in reply to Harvest Orange Spice from Octavia Tea on August 25, 2010 at 11:25 am
Kelly on:
Harvest Orange Spice from Octavia Tea
"Haha!! My co-worker told me that she purchased this tea after having purchased the Matcha Latte at Seattle’s Best, and her and another co-worker purchased this because they believed it was what was served there. She stated to me today that “it didn’t seem the same exactly…it felt like their was something..."
The Tea Guru said, in reply to Matcha Latté with Honeydew from Tazo Tea on August 20, 2010 at 8:55 pm
The Tea Guru on:
Matcha Latté with Honeydew from Tazo Tea
"I’m not absolutely certain, but I believe that this is the concentrate that Seattle’s Best coffee shops use to make their matcha latte. The lattes I’ve enjoyed there were sweet with a definite melon flavor… and I have noticed that they sell other Tazo teas there. If it IS the concentrate that they use… I am..."
liber-teas said, in reply to Matcha Latté with Honeydew from Tazo Tea on August 20, 2010 at 8:47 pm
liber-teas on:
Matcha Latté with Honeydew from Tazo Tea
"I Love this tea!! This flavor is my favorite. I am so addicted to it! Thanks
"
Betsy said, in reply to Raspberry Earl from Zhena’s Gypsy Tea on August 20, 2010 at 4:55 pm
Betsy on:
Raspberry Earl from Zhena’s Gypsy Tea
"Steph: Thank you for your information about the naranquilla. I didn’t find the flavor to be very tart at all – which is what I would have expected from the combination of lime and rhubarb. Perhaps the maraschino sweetened it up a bit and made it much more peach-like. It reminded me a bit of candied apricots or peaches."
liber-teas said, in reply to Easter Tea from Dammann Frères on August 19, 2010 at 7:42 pm
liber-teas on:
Easter Tea from Dammann Frères