Matcha Shohaku by Marukyu Koyamaen
Time for another review. I got this one via my trusted shop Chanomiya, together with the Isuzu that is still resting unopened in my freezer for when the Shohaku is used up.
General Info
The Shohaku cost me 28,50 Euro, which is in the middle field price-wise. It is apparently named in honor of Daisosho Hounsai, the 16th Grandmaster of the Urasenke tea school, and is favoured by Hounsai, the 15th generation grand tea master of Urasenke. It's intended to be consumed as usucha, so a rather thin matcha.
Color and Smell
The color is absolutely amazing and a joy to see. Even my wife commented on it, saying making matcha for me is so much more fun and satisfying when it is such a powerful and vibrant green.
The below is what it looks like with a little splash of plant milk, to visualize.
The smell is very sweet, hay, fall-like, leafy, and flowery. No sharpness, no bitter or grassy scent notes.
Taste
I am just so obsessed with this one. I don't know what exactly it is, but it is hitting just right. It makes me so happy drinking it, and I feel so grateful for experiencing it.
I've had ones a lot more expensive that were amazing, but didn't make me feel that way as much as this one did. You could hook this one up to my blood stream (metaphorically). I am usually more a fan of koicha, but this is an usucha I can really get behind. It is still so strong and not too liquid-feeling even when prepared thinly. Cold or even iced is even better, it is just so naturally sweet but nutty, with deeper notes, slight supportive astringency that is just there to underline the sweetness. It's like a very sophisticated, rich and subtly sweet soda (uncarbonated, of course) when enjoyed cold.
This is also one that I genuinely feel like any sort of milk aside from a few little drops ruins it. I know matcha enjoyers and producers that want all kinds of matcha to be enjoyed not as a latte, but pure, and that is fine. So far, I have tried all matcha with and without oat milk too, and couldn't say that the latte experience was bad. This one though, I would really recommend to mostly consume pure or with only a very tiny amount of milk, it's worth it.
Conclusion
Definitely a good (nearly) everyday matcha, if you can afford it. Would be a great entry to experiencing good matcha as well, if you are willing to pay a bit more despite not knowing yet whether you enjoy matcha.
๐ต๐ต๐ต๐ต๐ต 5 out of 5 matcha bowls.
Bonus: Look how good it looks in this bulbous glass, prepared cold.
