This Suntory Iyemon Genmaicha is part of the brand’s range that is brewed using tea leaves selected by a chasho from the Fukujuen tea company based in Kyōto. Iyemon is named after Iyemon Fukui who founded Fukujuen more than 200 years ago. It’s a blend of green tea, roasted rice and germinated brown rice.
The tea is a semi-opaque golden-green colour with a gentle nutty sweetness. Served chilled, prominent toasted notes emerge from the start of each sip and build to prominence in the body with a nutty sweetness that complements and restrained the vegetal notes of the green tea, which lingered briefly on the palate with a gentle bitterness and mild astringency. Overall, this is a very refreshing and smooth medium-bodied genmaicha that avoids overemphasis on the earthy brothiness that can sometimes dominated the flavour.
This Suntory Iyemon Genmaicha contained 2 L. It was produced in Japan and purchased in Sydney, Australia in 2021.