created: 2023-10-10T15:46
updated: 2024-03-16T20:16
Midnight Sun Matcha (March 2022)
I had the magical opportunity to drink this tea on the 24th of March 2022 at Cha Do Raku here in Montréal. I transcribe my initial first impression (in French) verbatim below, my more considered notes follow:
Parfum marin et profond, presque chthonien, un des meilleurs thés de ma vie — Shiho-san avait hâte que je le goûte — parfaitement velouté et doux, envoutant, et sans sacrifier la fraicheur
Before brewing, Shiho-san let me breathe in the smell of the matcha powder, and the smell was perfect. It smelled so green, so fresh, so marine, and with just a hint of an almost white-chocolatey softness. The matcha preparation was easy, the creation of a crema of soft foaminess at the top was easy, and the first sips were amazing. Marine umami velvety texture, without sacrificing any deep green freshness.
Very uplifting — I can see how drinking a tea like this would give one the energy to witness the sun never once setting in the Icelandic sky on the summer solstice.
Unparalleled. Sublime. I hope to drink something like it again some day soon.