Ippodo Tea
Eternity:Kuon Blend
Tasted June 1st 2020
About Ippodo Tea: Ippodo Tea Company is both a tea shop and a tea manufacturer located in Kyoto, Japan that has been operating under the same family name for over 300 years. Ippodo’s products are cultivated on farms local to them. The company strives to educate people about the diversity of tea with their extensive product selection. Ippodo also teaches us the beauty and ritual of tea drinking. If you visit their website (linked bellow) you can meet the current owners in a gorgeous video.
About Blend: Kuon is a specialty blend available for USA and Canada patrons and considered one of the highest matcha grades at Ippodo. The website describes Kuon as a unique addition to their selection because the tea possesses a “bright … and refined ... bitterness.”
Price: $42- 46 for 20g, available from Ippodo’s website and Amazon.
Scent: Vibrant roasted vegetal smell and a smooth creaminess.
Ippodo Tea: Kuon Blend
Color: Electric green with the slightest fade. Points 4.25
Foam: Froths quickly, but the end result is not very uniform or an even surface. Points 3
Taste: Bold, lingers for a long time. Clear grassy and seaweed notes, some umami and toasted rice flavors, and a pronounced astringency that can go bitter with higher temperature waters. Very dynamic and strong. Points 3.25
Final Score: 3.5
Thoughts: This blend was true to the online description for which I wish I could give extra points because this is often not the case. Kuon has a unique bitterness and astringency that is surprisingly delicious. I found myself craving more with every sip. The bitterness also gives the tea an intensity and plays well with the roasted vegetable and umami flavors. It was a bit intense and sharp to have on its own, but went really well with a bit of oat milk or as a cold brew infusion. This blend had an upward energy, good for working out or doing manual labor. Definitely got through some major gardening work with this matcha.