Compare two teas
Side by side across seven dimensions. There is no verdict and no winner — the purpose is to understand the difference, not to be told which to buy.
Why these two get confused
Plain genmaicha and the version with matcha blended in, now more common commercially. The added powder supplies colour and body that the base bancha lacks.
Point by point
| Dimension | Genmaicha | Matcha-iri genmaicha |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Green tea · unoxidised | Green tea · unoxidised |
| Production | In order: Kill-green (fixation) → Rolling and shaping → Roasting. light roast and summer harvest. | In order: Steaming (Japanese fixation) → Rolling and shaping → Roasting → Drying. year round harvest. |
| Origin | Japan | Japan |
| Flavour | nutty, roasted and grassy. light and smooth in the mouth. Aroma: toasted rice, popcorn, grain, light grass. Straightforward in character. Delicate in intensity. | roasted, nutty and umami. medium and smooth in the mouth. Aroma: toasted rice, popcorn, fresh grass. Straightforward in character. Moderate in intensity. |
| Brewing | Western brewing (teapot or mug): 1.5–2.5 g/100 ml at 80–90 °C, first steep 45s. Kyusu brewing (Japanese style): 3–5 g/100 ml at 80–90 °C, first steep 45s of 3 authored. Gongfu brewing (gaiwan): 3–4 g/100 ml at 75–85 °C, first steep 20s of 4 authored. | Western brewing (teapot or mug): 1.5–2.5 g/100 ml at 80–90 °C, first steep 45s. Kyusu brewing (Japanese style): 3–5 g/100 ml at 80–90 °C, first steep 45s of 3 authored. Gongfu brewing (gaiwan): 3–4 g/100 ml at 75–85 °C, first steep 20s of 4 authored. |
| Cultural context | Not recorded for this tea. | Not recorded for this tea. |
| Who may prefer it | Someone who prefers a quiet cup they can drink through an afternoon and wants to enjoy it on the first cup. It tolerates an imprecise brew. | Someone who wants presence without being dominated and wants to enjoy it on the first cup. It tolerates an imprecise brew. |
Nothing above is a recommendation. The last row describes the drinker each tea suits, using each tea’s own authored fields and the same sentence structure for both, so neither can be framed as the safe choice.