Matcha Kotobuki by Maiko
I ordered two matcha by Maiko, and one of them is the Matcha Kotobuki.
General Info
This matcha comes in a 30g tin that is wrapped in beautiful paper, just like another one of them that I will be reviewing another day! The design seems to change sometimes. Gorgeous. It is rough, thick, high quality paper with golden highlights.
I paid 37,50 Euro for it at Chanomiya. It works for both usucha and koicha according to the seller. It is rated as being very umami, a little sweet and with very little astringency.
Color and Smell
The smell is very bold, very grassy and bitter! I was surprised, because I am used to matcha that is advertised as being very umami as already smelling very nutty and pine-like. The color is a light green, almost pastel; definitely on the lighter side of my matcha so far, but still vibrant. The powder is very fine.
Taste
After the smell and look, it was surprisingly umami and not nearly as bitter as it smells. It's not the kind of overtly nutty umami that I tend to enjoy more, but itβs not very astringent either. Itβs the kind of umami flavor that reminds you of the more common, typical plant/algae matcha flavour, but instead of delivering a pang of bitter in the back of your tongue, it stays pleasant. If I had to imagine what a deep color of green tastes like, this would be it.
As said, this one is suitable for koicha, but Iβm not sure I personally would enjoy it like that; more because I enjoy that experience to be more on the nutty, chocolate-y, coffee-like side. That is nothing that is wrong about this matcha, just personal taste preference. I think if you like koicha that still has the hints of grassiness you enjoy about matcha, this is a great one that keeps it without it becoming too bitter to enjoy. Itβs great that thereβs a possibility to have a koicha with a bit of the signature matcha taste many come to love. From trying out different matcha, it can often seem like you lose significant parts of grassiness when you opt for a more umami taste, as if they cancel each other out. But as seen in this matcha, they donβt have to. I think itβs a good blend.
For me personally, I have to subtract one due to personal preference for a different kind of umami experience but still a great one!
Also great iced, which for me amplified what I tasted while hot.
Conclusion
π΅π΅π΅π΅ 4 out of 5 matcha bowls.