Flavorah Eisai Tea
ConcreteRiver
Disclaimer: I didn't pay for this, shoutout to Flavorah for sending this to me.
Setup: Recoil w/ flavor barrel, Dual 12 wrap 24g 3.5mm SS316 @.31 ohms. 60w power, 450F temp limit. Full Cotton Wicks.
Testing: Flavorah Eisai Tea, .25%, 1% and 3%, 60/40 VG/PG base, Steeped 12 days.
Flavor Description: Slightly fruity, drier green tea. Feels closer to a matcha than the other green teas I’ve tried.
Distinct green tea flavor in here. Tastes slightly earthy, but doesn’t seem to have much of that more tannic edge usually associated with steeped teas. Tastes a little bit musky, but seems like a powdered green tea kind of musky without anything distinctly floral. Not as bold as matcha in general, but definitely feels like it’s headed in that direction. Even at higher percentages, the green tea is maybe a bit subtle with everything going on.
Like the straight green tea, I’m picking up a bit of slightly minty cooling. This seems to be less grassy than FLV Green Tea though, and I’m not necessarily getting that fresher vegetation flavor. Instead of grassy I am getting something sort of fruity. Nothing really specific, maybe a bit melon-y, but more just a generic fruity sweetness. Not overwhelming or candied, but sweeter than I’d expect for a straight tea.
Texturally, again, this feels like it’s leaning toward matcha. It doesn’t quite have that warmer, thinner tea mouthfeel that the other flavorah teas have had. This is maybe a bit creamier, and can take on some that authentic matcha powdery texture. Moderately dense overall.
Of the new Flavorah green teas, this one reads more matcha-ish while FLV Green Tea seems to be the normal steeped leaves variety.
Off-Flavors: Generic melon fruitiness. Actual tea flavor seems a bit too subtle for a matcha.
Throat Hit: Light to moderate. Seems a bit throaty.
Percentage testing: At .25%, this tastes a bit indistinct for me. Light green tea, light vague sweeteness. Doesn’t have much of a texture to it.
At 1%, I get a clearer matcha green tea. That corresponding fruitiness has also kicked up a bit. Mouthfeel is a little thicker and more substantial.
At 3%, this is getting a bit odd. Green tea doesn’t seem that much stronger than 1% and it definitely tastes a bit fruitier. Slightly powdery, moderate dense mouthfeel. Starting to get something that tastes a little fresh and green
Just based on these tests, I’d probably be using this flavor between 1 and 2% for a green tea accent.
Uses & Pairings: Not a “perfect” matcha, but definitely a whole lot closer for me than other green teas.
This is probably my pick for a non “cup of tea” type green tea. This is the green tea I’d use with creams, bakeries, or anything beyond straight fruit you’d want some green tea in.
Being less floral and less tannic than the other options is going to let you take this in some interesting directions. I could see this working working really well in ice creams or beverages that have a cream component.
It’s also the green tea I’d use in candy applications.
Or , if you’re a complete lunatic and are thinking about a tobacco pairing, I’d pick this one.
Second Opinions: There’s an ELR page up, with some familiar names and some very positive day 1 pre-release type reviews.