Lainie Sips: A Tea Podcast  

Name: Green Roasted Mint

Brand: The Tea Spot

Type: Green tea (hojicha), flavored

Form: Loose leaf

Cost: $7.99 for 2 ounces @ The Tea Spot (quantity discounts available)

Review: The Tea Spot's twist on Moroccan mint tea is quite clever: Instead of blending peppermint with gunpowder green tea (the traditional recipe for Moroccan mint tea), the good folks at The Tea Spot used hojicha (roasted Japanese green tea) instead.

The nose on the dry leaf is remarkable: The peppermint is clean and clear, and the nutty, roasted notes of the hojicha, in harmony with the mint, contribute to a very deep aroma that is both comforting and stimulating at the same time.

The tea infuses to a bright medium amber, light-medium bodied liquor, with a crisp, minty nose. On the palate, the substantial hojicha holds its own against the sparkling mint: This tea has amazing depth, and demonstrates just what a careful tea blender/flavor-er can do if s/he is paying attention.

The tea is naturally sweet, no doubt the result of blending the nutty hojicha with peppermint. Resist the urge to add sweetening to this tea, please...or at least hold off until you have given it a proper tasting.

Incidentally,this tea loses quite a bit of flavor after the first infusion. You can try a second infusion, but don't expect it to have the same richness as the first.

Tips: Roasted Green Mint is incredible on ice! Also, since hojicha is relatively low in caffeine, this might be a good option as a late afternoon/evening tea.

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