Ume Shiso

Today I re-visited a tea that I bought almost a year ago, that has spent most of its life in the back of my cabinet. I think I've pulled it out once since moving into this house, and that was only to feed it to the Zarafina. The thing is, the Ume Shiso is a good a tea, just not something I'm ever in the mood for. But this morning I was helping a customer look for some umeboshi, Japanese plums pickled with shiso leaves, and that got me thinking about this tea.

Ume Shiso is a blend of houjicha and red shiso leaves. I've never developed a taste for houjicha, early attempts turned me off of it, so I should be honest and say that I bought this tea mostly because I thought it was pretty.

I hope I'm not the only one who does that.

Tea: Ume Shiso

Origin: Japan

Year: 2006

Vendor: Rishi

Price: $10/30g Tin

I'm sure the past year has dulled this tea a bit, but it is still very flavorful. Its been three years since I tasted houjicha, and I've never tasted shiso leaves before this tea, so I am unsure of where one ends and the other begins. Its nutty and a bit tart. What I like most about this tea is its heartiness; it feels filling, and while I'm not into tea/food pairings, I think this would go great with a meal, or even in place of a snack.