I’m fairly new to loose-leaf tea, having gotten hooked a few months ago when a friend gifted me with a variety of teas, mostly blacks. She threw in a sample of this from Adagio as well as a Gunpowder Tea and a Pomegranate Green from TeaSource. Both my aunt, who I’ve been sharing the teas with, and I loved the Adagio Hojicha. My aunt called it “magnificent.” When we ran out, we ordered another Hojicha, this time from TeaSource as well as their Dragonwell and Sencha. We both disliked the Dragonwell and Sencha as too vegetal, but we both very much still like the Hojicha. Reading the reviews, particularly the negative ones of this tea I think we like it precisely for the reasons they didn’t. This isn’t typical for a Green Tea. It’s roasted, and doesn’t really taste grassy or vegetal. I’d agree with the reviewer who called it “toasty” and “nutty.” I wouldn’t describe it as “smoky” or earthy like other reviewers. Smoky makes me think of Gunpowder Tea, which I didn’t like. I do think this is earthier and maltier than the Adagio version of Hojicha. I thought I preferred the Adagio version. But I’m currently drinking the second steeping of the second time we’ve tried this tea, and it’s only growing on me. So far at least, this is my favorite Green Tea. Not the favorite the Oolongs and Blacks I’ve tried are, but up there.
180 °F / 82 °C
3 min, 0 sec
