This is the Mugwort Latte (iced, $8.00, +$1.00 for large) from Siroo Rice Cake Cafe, an iced coffee base topped with a sage-green hued mugwort cream, dusted with roasted soybean powder, and served alongside a cube of injeolmi tteok.

The iced latte, made using beans from Danes Coffee Roasters, offered a rich aroma and moderate bitterness, delivering a quality coffee experience even prior to mixing. The mugwort cream contributed a distinctly grassy aroma and added depth to the coffee’s bitterness, introducing a softer, herbaceous quality reminiscent of spring. Unlike matcha, the mugwort brought a gentler vegetal profile without overwhelming intensity. Texturally, the cream added a thick, smooth richness that gave the drink satisfying body while allowing the coffee’s inherent character to remain at the forefront. It also offered a subtle chew, without any discernible grittiness.

While the pairing of roasted soybean powder and injeolmi tteok complemented the Korean dessert theme, the latte would have benefitted from a stronger thematic alignment through the inclusion of mugwort powder or a mugwort-flavoured tteok, both of which are sold on-site. In this iteration, the drink felt somewhat secondary to the more established injeolmi latte. Nevertheless, the composition remained enjoyable, with its nuanced layering of coffee, cream, and botanical elements.

This Mugwort Latte was purchased from Siroo Rice Cake Cafe located at 981 Victoria Rd, West Ryde NSW 2114 in June 2025.