Iyemon is a brand of Japanese green tea produced by Fukujuen, a long-established tea house established in Uji, Kyōto in 1790. The Iyemon brand is named after the founder, Iyemon Fukui. This is the Iyemon Cha Irigome Blend Houjicha.
The tea is a loose leaf blend of hōjicha (roasted green tea) and irigome (roasted rice).
Steeping 9 g of loose leaf in 200 mL of water at 85ºC for 30 seconds, the infusion was a clear red-brown colour with some tea dust throughout and a warm and toasty aroma. Served hot, a mellow sweetness came through from the hōjicha that rounds out in the body with a pleasant umami from the roasted rice before finishing with a gentle vegetal flavour that leaves a clean and refreshing aftertaste.
Compared to a regular genmaicha, which featured sencha and roasted rice, the presence of the hōjicha brought a toasty sweetness to the tea that’s more enjoyable.
This Iyemon Cha Irigome Blend Houjicha contained 100 g. The tea originated in Japan and was purchased in Sydney, Australia in 2018.