Matcha Diaries
Astrid Tea Okita, Matcharl, Honeymoon Matcha
I’m baaaack with another bi-weekly installment of my matcha review series! And this week has some gems, if I do say so myself. While I have been craving some of go-to matchas (Ippodo & Rockys, I’m looking at you), it’s been tough to get them with the matcha shortage. So I’ve been using this as an opportunity to try new things instead! These past few weeks, I tried matchas from Astrid Tea, Matcharl, and Honeymoon Matcha. Time for the in-depth review!
Astrid Tea Okita
I’ll spare you any suspense. This is a new favorite for me. I literally tried it one day, and continued to drink it everyday thereafter. I’m already almost out! A little nutty, a little sweet, a little umami, and full of flavor, this matcha truly has everything going for it.
You may have seen this matcha if you follow Meredith Mao on social media - she’s well known for her matcha reviews. And while she reviews tons of other matcha powders, she also has a matcha brand of her own in Astrid Tea.
Another matcha in their lineup is Issho, which is less expensive and supposedly a bit lighter-bodied. I’m looking forward to trying soon!
Flavor profile: a little bit of everything! Nuttiness, sweetness, umami
Price: $1.00-$1.16 per gram, sold in 30g tins or 30g/50g refills
Where to purchase: Astrid Tea website
You may also like: Horii Schichimeien Todou Mukashi
Matcharl Kyoto Uji
Finally a matcha on Amazon that I think is worth trying! We all need an Amazon option for those times we’re in a pinch, and I’ve struggled to find an Amazon matcha that I actually enjoy.
While this one is a bit light for my personal preference, especially in a latte, I still enjoyed its flavor profile, which leaned more vegetal with some slight bitterness. I would personally drink this matcha as an usucha, or in a matcha latte that I’m going to add some sweetener or syrup to.
People are always asking me for affordable matcha options, and this one comes in at $.57 per gram. Matcharl has a few other options available aside from the Kyoto Uji, so I’ll have to try those soon!
Flavor profile: Vegetal, slight bitterness & astringency, lighter bodied
Price: $.57 per gram
Where to purchase: on Amazon
You may also like: Nakamura Tokichi Hiroha no Shiro
Honeymoon Matcha
Can we take a moment to admire the tin? The pink and red just does something for me! But I also have to take a moment to admire this matcha powder in itself. It packed a punch, delivering strong matcha flavor paired with some nuttiness!
If you’re a Rockys Matcha Ceremonial Blend lover (which I am)… Honeymoon Matcha would be right up your alley. Nutty matchas are some of my favorites, so I was happy to discover another nutty option from a smaller brand. I believe they’ve been sold out for a while, so I’m hoping for a restock soon.
Flavor profile: Bold and nutty
Price: $.90 per gram
Where to purchase: Honeymoon Matcha website
You may also like: Rockys Ceremonial Blend
As always, thanks for reading! More matcha to come soon.