Chazoku Matcha Cultivar Review: Okumidori, Gokou, and Asahi as Potential Ippodo Dupes
Summary:
This video reviews three single-cultivar matcha powders from the Chazoku brand, exploring their unique flavor profiles and suitability as potential dupes for Ippodo matcha.
- Chazoku Okumidori Cultivar: Tasted as usucha and latte, it presented high, soft umami with subtle sweetness and creaminess, enhancing in umami when prepared as a latte. It's suggested as a dupe for Ippodo Sayaka.
- Chazoku Gokou Cultivar: This matcha offered umami with a distinct nuttiness, evolving from a slight "wine-like zing" as usucha to a more pronounced roasted, almond, or kinaco flavor in a latte. It's considered a potential dupe for Ippodo Ummon.
- Chazoku Asahi Cultivar: Characterized by its boldest umami among the three, along with astringency and a hint of dark chocolate as usucha. As a latte, it transformed into a sweet, creamy, vanilla-noted "matcha ice cream" experience.
- Overall Recommendation: The reviewer was highly impressed by all three, praising their distinct, high-quality umami profiles, and found it difficult to choose a favorite. They recommend trying all to discover individual preferences.
The three Chazoku matcha products being reviewed [ 00:00:38 ]
Introduction [00:00]
The video introduces a review of the Chazoku matcha brand, which kindly gifted three single-cultivar matcha powders for an honest evaluation.
- The reviewer plans to share unbiased thoughts on each matcha.
- The three cultivars to be reviewed are:
- Okumidori
- Asahi
- Gokou
Chazoku Matcha Okumidori Cultivar [1:09]
The first matcha reviewed is the Chazoku Okumidori cultivar.
- Initial Observations:
- Tasting Notes (from packaging) [0:01:54]:
- High umami with subtle sweetness.
- A well-rounded cashew undertone.
- Usucha (Thin Tea) Tasting [0:02:04]:
- Latte Tasting [0:02:49]:
- Produces a beautiful green color [0:02:53].
- Tastes amazing, with the umami becoming even more pronounced [0:03:07].
- The umami notes shine through a lot more, becoming bolder and deeper, offering a more savory part of the umami profile [0:03:17].
- Finishes with a nice sweetness and creaminess [0:03:48].
- Potential Ippodo Dupe:
- Believed to be a good dupe for Ippodo Sayaka matcha due to its creamy, bold, and umami-forward characteristics [0:12:19].
Chazoku Matcha Gokou Cultivar [3:55]
Next, the Chazoku Gokou cultivar matcha is reviewed.
- Tasting Notes (from packaging) [0:03:59]:
- Prized for its high umami and natural sweetness.
- Features deep savory layers with notes of toasted walnut.
- Offers a smooth, velvety almond finish that lingers.
- Described as a rare matcha with richness evident from the first sip.
- Initial Observations:
- The powder is a slightly lighter green compared to the Okumidori, but still beautiful [0:04:25].
- Usucha (Thin Tea) Tasting [0:04:41]:
- Latte Tasting [0:05:37]:
- Potential Ippodo Dupe:
- Could be a dupe for Ippodo Ummon matcha, which also has an umami-forward profile with hints of kinaco and nuttiness [0:13:03].
Chazoku Matcha Asahi Cultivar [6:43]
The third matcha evaluated is the Chazoku Asahi cultivar.
- Tasting Notes (from packaging) [0:06:44]:
- Known for its bold umami and depth of flavor.
- A dense, creamy body gives way to lingering notes of vanilla, cashew, and floral sweetness.
- Ideal for a strong usucha or elevating a latte.
- Initial Observations:
- Usucha (Thin Tea) Tasting [0:07:44]:
- Confirms the brand's excellent handling of umami [0:07:54].
- The umami notes are bold, potentially the boldest among the three cultivars tried [0:08:09].
- More astringent, leaving a longer-lasting dryness in the mouth, contrasting with the velvety smoothness of the others [0:08:20].
- Features bold flavors with some sweetness and a hint of dark chocolate [0:08:40].
- Latte Tasting [0:08:49]:
- Tastes like matcha ice cream, which is an exciting and rare find for the reviewer [0:08:58].
- It is sweet and creamy [0:09:25].
- Still retains umami notes and astringency, though less bold than in usucha [0:09:28].
- Characterized by vanilla notes, sweetness, and creaminess, while still maintaining distinct matcha flavor [0:09:41].
- Described as a "melted liquid form of matcha ice cream" [0:09:52].
Reviewer discussing tasting notes with prepared Asahi matcha [ 00:08:10 ]
Final Thoughts and Recommendations [9:57]
The reviewer provides overall impressions and specific recommendations for the Chazoku matcha brand.
- Overall Impression of the Brand:
- Expresses surprise and being blown away by the quality [0:10:01].
- Chazoku excels at delivering umami, with each cultivar offering a unique expression of it [0:10:28].
- Highlights the high quality of all powders and recommends them to umami lovers [0:11:33].
- All three matchas were loved, making it difficult to pick a single favorite [0:11:41].
- Individual Matcha Recommendations based on Preference:
- Chazoku Okumidori Cultivar:
- Chazoku Gokou Cultivar:
- Chazoku Asahi Cultivar:
- Recommended for an "ice cream-like" matcha experience [0:13:21].
- Despite personal preference for ice cream-like matcha, the reviewer finds it hard to decisively name it as the overall favorite, acknowledging the strengths of all three [0:13:28].
- Ideal for those who like a sweet, creamy matcha with discernible matcha flavor, some astringency, and umami [0:13:47].
- Concluding Recommendation: