Matcha Kanza by Ippodo Tea
Now this is one I was very excited about! Ippodo is so hyped up among matcha lovers. They're so popular that the drops cannot be announced anymore, there's a sales limit and it all sells out so quickly. You often have to go off of rumours and set an alarm to check. I actually planned to get the Ummon, but so far couldn't. The Kanza was available though.
General Info
The Kanza comes in a 20g tin, and.... used to be a lot cheaper. It was always expensive because it is the highest ranking matcha at Ippodo, but unfortunately, the matcha shortage and the fact that Ippodo seems to import and ship from the US has caused them to raise the prices dramatically due to Donald Trump's shitty politics. The Kanza now costs 98,95 Euro, which is insane to read for 20g. As you can see in the link, a lot of products were adjusted this harshly. My friend pointed out that it is a lot cheaper in their Japanese store, and suggested to maybe use one of these services that buy things for you in Japan and then ship it to you, but I have never used any of them, so I can't say much.
The Kanza is described as rich and luscious. The taste profile says:
"Mirume - a word used by tea professionals in Japan to describe the ultra-young, tender, and delicate character of certain high-class teas."
They have sections with quotes from the Blending Team and Tasting Team, which is so cool.
The Blending team said:
βIn Kanza you can enjoy a strong and rich umami, with an aftertaste that has remarkable depth. It reminds me of an excellent full-bodied red wine. I will reach for Kanza when I want to have a silent moment alone with my thoughts. Its lush character deserves quiet attention and focus.β" - President Watanabe, 7th generation
βBoth Kanzaβs fragrance and flavor are unequivocally powerful. From the first moment you take a sip to the end of the finish, it has a strong, unwavering umami, and no astringency. But make no mistake; it is not at all light-bodied.β - Chairman Watanabe, 6th generation
The Tasting Team said:
"Typical of a top class matcha, Kanza has a tender, mirume character, which is balanced by its bright fragrance. I can tell it has been painstakingly, carefully shaded, from its umami, which is neither fluffy nor sharp-edged, and from its fragrance, which is in a class of its own.β - Mr. Yagi (Chief)
βIts color is deep blue and vivid. Its fragrance has a distinct sweet note, and I felt it represents the classic Ippodo character overall. Its sweetness and umami are strong, and it has a clean aftertaste, with the mirume character of a matcha of this caliber. Kanza is a matcha I want to relax and take my time with. Prepare it by using a just-warm temperature water, to bring out its top class sweetness and umami. Or, choose to use a hotter temperature water to emphasize its remarkable fragrance. This will produce a cleaner, crisper taste that I can recommend just as well.β - Mr. Miyata
Color and Smell
It might be weird to read a green matcha be described as deep blue, but it really has a blue-ish tint, in the sense that the green is very deep; kind of how some pine trees' dark green has a blue tint. It suggests a really high quality, and like being loaded with what makes the matcha green to begin with. Looks tasty.
The smell is very aromatic and strong, like a perfume that spreads through the room when you make it. The scent is barely bitter, it is nutty and flowery, a rich beautiful cloud.
Taste
Tastewise, there is no astringency at all, no bitterness. Just a really pleasant, nutty, and full flavor that is strong, without being overbearing. It's warming, velvety soft and smooth. That's the thing that stood out the most to me aside from the taste: Just how nice the mouth feel is while drinking. It's so creamy, the particles are just so fine and soft and not clumping at all that it makes the water feel so milky on the tongue. It's like clouds in the mouth, I don't know how else to describe it.
Conclusion
There's not much to say - it is simply awesome. Surely, even with the old price, but especially the new price, not something for daily casual consumption. Maybe as a really, really special gift for the matcha lover in your life. Savor it.
π΅π΅π΅π΅π΅ 5 out of 5 matcha bowls.