Vivid Drinks - Matcha Tea

Now, I confess, I don't normally touch drinks like this with a barge pole. My beverages of choice are firmly (and in no particular order) wine, water and builders tea - saying that, I'll try anything once, so here I go with the trendy drink du jour, Matcha Tea from Vivid Drinks.

"What is Matcha Tea?", I hear you all ask. Well, it's essentially super-speed green tea originally peddled by Buddist monks to help with long meditation sessions. With ten times more anti-oxidants and physiological and psychological benefiting amino acids in it, it's got to be worth a go. Let's face it, at the time of year, when the shortbread starts emerging and we all have to get up in the dark, the nation's general requirement for anything physiologically and psychologically enhancing increases.

Vivid's manifestation of Matcha tea comes in three flavours and I've tested them all. (NB when I say tested, I mean, taste-tested. I didn't set myself any aerobic or mind tricking challenges so I can't vouch for their mental or physical performance enhancing qualities...although saying that, I did remember my mobile number this morning, so maybe there's something in it...)

First up was Lime, Ginger and Honey. Normally, a personal favourite combination. In this tea the pure, bright and wonderful flavours were marginally dulled by the earthy green tea flavour although that was, in a way, quite pleasing because it felt healthy. I don't know why earthiness = healthy in my mind, but it does, and here it works excellently.

Second in line was Grape and Elderflower. Again, that earthy, healthy taste. This came up as my least favourite, but only because normally I'm such a wine-o and grape juice in anything else just tastes like a crying-shame to me. (That said, booze isn't exactly detoxing...) The Elderflower was a little swamped too, but it was still a delicate brew.

Third and finally: my favourite! It's Pear and Rhubarb. Rhubarb tastes earthy anyway so the match was made in heaven. This tasted like pure health and crumble. CRUMBLE TEA. Maybe it's because it's not a flavour combination I have too many pre-conceived ideas about, but this was really, really good!







All-in-all I would say my experience of Vivid Matcha Tea was a positive one, despite it not being the sort of thing I'd usually try. I can picture myself now, in need of a detox, reaching for a carton of the stuff.

I don't really detox often (or ever) but it's something I'll be recommending to my more health-conscious friends. Give it a go! It's available from Whole Foods, Planet Organic, and various other independent retailers, for around £1.85 per carton.