Uji Chanoka Okumidori Matcha

It’s been a while since I posted a tasting note. I attribute this lack of reviews both to having a weird form of writer’s block (palate block? flavour description block?) and to drinking teas I’ve already written about. I have at least five tasting notes I need to write before I can mark some teas as sipdowns. Not having written about some teas is also one of the many, many excuses I’ve made for delaying Daylon’s package for an embarrassingly long time. (I promise it exists, and you’ll be drinking spring Longjing in November!)

Here’s another Chanoka matcha from Nio, which I think comes from the same farm as their Chanoka Silver. I don’t have enough experience with Japanese green teas to understand what’s special about the Okumidori cultivar, so this will be a learning opportunity. I steeped 2 g of matcha in a mason jar containing around 100 ml of cool water. Once again, I got foam!

The dry aroma is an unusual combination of chocolate, cream, green veggies, and umami. Sadly, the chocolate isn’t prominent in the matcha itself, though it does retain a creamy texture and hints of cocoa. I also get kale, green pepper, grass, spinach, and umami. The matcha is sweeter than most, though with a kick of vegetal astringency near the end.

This tea gets major points for its sweetness and limited astringency. I’m beginning to understand why people might drink matcha voluntarily, though it’s still not my preferred tea type.

Until October 31, you can buy two tins of matcha and get the third one free. You can also use the code LEAFHOPPER15 to get 15% off everything on the site, possibly including Advent calendars (I get a small commission when you use this code).

A slightly darker green powder; largely vegetal notes; mildly bitter and grassy.

NIO advent tea.
I’ve come down with something. Sniffles and runny nose. I just want to sleep but kids and stuff… So matcha and some prayers are a necessary to get me through the day. The dry aroma is nice. Somewhat chocolaty and a bit sweet. The powder is meh. Which doesn’t bode well for the flavor but now that I am drinking it I’m actually surprised at the depth it has. Some good vegetal notes, great umami, and some marine notes.

Nio Teas Advent Calendar 2022 – Day 19

So my sample of this was actually a bit on the brownish side, as if it had been exposed to air. The best by date on the label was in 2024, so it doesn’t seem like it’s old. Maybe there was a little hole somewhere in the heat-sealed packet? Not sure.

It doesn’t seem to have a ton of flavor to it, I’m tasting a lot of the oat milk, which is unusual. There’s a bit of a nuttiness I think, and then at the end of the sip there’s a sharp stab of bitterness that makes my tongue go “yow!”

So I feel like my sample was probably compromised, either that or is this a very subtle matcha. That doesn’t explain the bitterness though!