Matcha Yugen by Marukyu Koyamaen
Here's another one by Marukyu Koyamaen!
General Info
This is the Yugen matcha; weirdly, the shop page I ordered from said the name means "still dark", but seeking to confirm it, I found instead:
YΕ«gen (εΉ½η) is a Japanese term that refers to a profound and mysterious sense of beauty that is only partially perceived, emphasizing suggestion over direct representation. It is often associated with traditional Japanese arts, particularly Noh theatre, where it evokes deeper meanings through subtlety and allusion.
The shop page further claimed that it stems from the first verse of the Dao De Jing: Gen Yu Gen. I am not sure!
It costs 29,95 Euro at the time of writing, and is best enjoyed as usucha.
Color and Smell
The color is gorgeous! A deep, fresh green.
The powder smells rather bitter and strong, gives you a burning sensation in your nose. The hot tea instead doesn't give me strong notes at all! I cannot pick up on anything much, it isn't as overtly fragrant as my other matcha usually are.
Taste
This is a more muted, neutral matcha but slightly on the nutty side. I really can't say more... I tried, I wondered if I am the problem, which caused me to research and... other people have the same experience! I guess that is just how it is :) So be careful, it can easily be drowned out by milk or other things you may choose to usually add to your matcha.
Conclusion
It's gorgeous, but I personally prefer matcha that offers a stronger taste! I feel like with this one, the amount used doesn't affect the taste notes much, so I can't just use more to get that, especially when it is meant to be enjoyed as usucha. It stays weaker and mild, and is a bit... forgettable.
This is for people who are very sensitive and need a very weak matcha; maybe for after a really well-seasoned dish, to counterbalance? Then it could be the right one for you. If that is your thing, the price should be okay. For the rest of us, I think what you get isn't quite in line with the price, as we could get more flavor with other matcha for similar prices.
π΅π΅π΅ 3 out of 5 matcha bowls. This hurt a little, but hey, can't give out 5s all the time.