I can imagine coffee lovers enjoying this tea. It shares some characteristics with coffee especially in the smell. There are roasty notes and some very nice bitterness, unlike other hojichas I have tried.
Another thing that sets this apart from standard hojicha is that I feel it is more reminiscent of dry wood fire rather than smoke that you get from burning damp wood or charcoal. I also get some lovely late autumn forest sensations from this tea.
I strongly recommend not to dispose of the leaves after you are done with the 3-4 steeps. Simmer them for 10 minutes instead. This gives you a final infusion, which might be even my favourite. In terms of colour it is almost shou like and the taste profile is also more on the sweeter side. There is a bit less bitterness, but strangely enough the coffee notes seem even stronger. I also notice a little bit of astringency, which is very unusual for hojicha.
I really enjoy this tea and look forward to future sessions. It will serve well as an evening tea to calm down.
Flavors: Autumn Leaf Pile, Bitter, Coffee, Fireplace, Forest Floor, Sweet, Wood
