This is the Ahi Kā Blend Hōjicha Latte ($7.50) from Slow Koi, featuring the Slow Koi Blend with caramel, butter, oat, and high umami characteristics.
The beverage presented with an opaque medium brown hue with slight tan undertones. Aroma opened with roasted hōjicha notes supported by caramelised sweetness and toasted cereal-like warmth from the oat-forward blend.
Initial contact delivered pronounced roasted notes characteristic of a darker hōjicha roast, carried through a smooth and creamy milk base. The opening combined toasted grain, caramel, and light buttery sweetness, producing a rounded profile. Through the mid-palate, the initial mellow sweetness intensified into a much stronger sweetness level that dominated the centre palate. Rather than developing additional complexity or depth, the sweetness primarily increased in concentration, softening the roasted qualities of the hōjicha and muting some of the blend’s umami character. Texture remained consistently creamy and cohesive throughout.
Towards the finish, the sweet roasted hōjicha notes gradually receded while residual milk sweetness lingered longer on the palate. Aftertaste remained clean without bitterness or astringency. The texture stayed smooth and creamy throughout, but the overall structure felt less distinctive compared with similar hōjicha beverages available in Sydney, as well as against Slow Koi’s stronger coffee offerings.
Overall, a hōjicha latte with a rising sweetness trajectory and cohesive creamy texture integration, resulting in a smooth but comparatively restrained flavour structure.
This Ahi Kā Blend Hōjicha Latte was purchased from Slow Koi in Auckland, New Zealand in May 2026.