Matcha Chiyo Mukashi by Maiko
After quite a while, another one by Maiko!
General Info
According to the store page, Chiyo Mukashi means β1000 generationsβ, a reminder of the achievements of everyone that came before us that makes what we do now possible. It's supposed to be drank as koicha (thick), and comes in a beautiful paper-wrapped box which includes a tin which contains a bag. It all feels very luxurious.
It also contains a leaflet.
Color and Smell
While opening the little bag inside the tin, I was surprised by the color. It is less vibrant, less green than I anticipated. I had gotten used to a stronger green from other Maiko products or from competitors. Even if it might not be true in this specific case (no way to verify), I associate less vibrant, more yellow-ish tint with oxidation and being older, or a less high quality, as many cooking/baking matcha powders have a more muted color. I researched others' experiences online and saw them post pictures of the Chiyo as powder or finished cups that looked a lot more vibrant, so I wonder what happened with my tin; older? Bad batch?
Inside the cup or bowl as finished tea, the matcha looks a little dark, a little muddy. The smell of the powder is very strong and bitter-sharp, but the finished cup smells a lot more mellow and like roasted seeds.
Taste
The first cup I prepared (I usually make them pretty standard for the first time before adjusting), I tasted almost nothing. It was as if I had used a powder to color my water a specific color. I'm usually using a bit more matcha powder in general already, so I was surprised by the lack of taste.
I tried again with more grams, especially as it is said to be suitable for koicha, so meant for a thicker experience. I didn't make it a super thick, creamy koicha, but still a rather strong cup with more grams and less water, which finally revealed the flavor to me. It has a sort of algae-like, nori sheet, sesame seeds kinda taste, with a tiny note of sour to it. I've seen shops describe it as a rather sweet matcha (natural sweetness, not sweetened!), but I seem to not have this experience.
Conclusion
I was surprised by this result. I've reviewed others by Maiko before and liked them a lot more. Other people online show and describe a lot more vibrant color than I had, so it seems like something may have gone wrong with mine. I may reorder again in the future to see if I get a better one, and write a new review. For now, I have to give it a bit of a low score.
Also, with other koicha-suitable matcha, I can still use less or drink it in a thinner way while having a great cup; but with this one, it can easily become way too mild if not using a lot of powder and/or little water. That means I end up using up the little tin way faster than with other matcha, while being more limited in how I can use the powder. That's a drawback for me personally, but doesn't have to stop you.
π΅π΅π΅ 3 out of 5 matcha bowls.