This is the YBC Levain Prime Cracker Cream Sando Mini Matcha Azuki. It contained matcha powder from Uji, Kyōto and 0.5% azuki powder.
Each bag contained 12 crackers, each 0.9 cm thick, with the two golden crackers and green cream layer each occupying about a third of the height. The matcha aroma was very evident upon opening the packaging.
Each cracker had an audible crunch with a loose crumb and an enjoyable subtle savoury initial encounter. The cream interior was smooth and soft on the palate, delivering a rich matcha flavour with a vibrant vegetal quality and a hint of bitterness that lingered briefly in the aftertaste. A sweet nuttiness from the red bean well offset this. The miniature format of these crackers made additional texture from visible chunky red beans unnecessary for textural contrast.
Overall, the savoury crackers provided an impeccable balance to the sweet, grassy, and nutty flavour of the interior, as well as a moreish contrast between the cracker’s crunch and the cream’s soft smoothness.
This YBC Levain Prime Cracker Cream Sando Mini Matcha Azuki contained 56 g (2 x 28 g bags). It was produced in Japan and purchased in Sydney, Australia in 2024.