International Edition: Sakura and Matcha Oreos

-
What's the Tea?
Matcha leaves are just slightly bitter, aromatic, and energizing. Sakura (cherry blossom) is sweet, soothing, and floral. In Japanese culture, matcha is known for its healing benefits to the mind, body, and soul. Sakura, Japan's national flower, represents hope, joy, and optimism. Although quite different, matcha and sakura have been harvested for centuries as delicious teas and baking components in Japanese households. In April 2020, Nabisco released sakura and matcha Oreos for limited release in Japan. B sampled the sakura, and V tried the matcha. Did Nabisco do this complex pair justice? Let's explore! We are B and V and WE RATE OREOS! 




Flavor Creativity
B- Definitely creative! We look overseas for the flavors that the U.S. doesn't have the initiative to tackle; Japan brought it. 

V- Full creativity points! The inspiration for this Oreo was a matcha roll cake. Imagine a spongy Swiss roll infused with a matcha kick! Matcha flavoring by itself is quite common, and I appreciate how Nabisco used such a creative base point for their ultimate flavor profile. Matcha's natural bitterness pairs well with sweeter components. The innovators behind this flavor clearly understand the complexity in that balance. 

Flavor Execution
V- I LOVE the matcha creme! The bittersweet, herbal, earthy tones are immensely satisfying. These taste like an authentic green tea. I say this because the green tea flavor is virtually impossible to artificially replicate without it tasting like grass. I do wish they incorporated more of the subtle sharpness specific to matcha, but green tea enthusiasts will adore this cookie!

B- From what I know of sakura: yes. Sakura in the raw is known to be salty and sour but then they add sweeteners to take on the flavor of the dessert during the cooking/pickling/baking processes. There are also said to be notes of cherry and plum. For me, I couldn't really taste anything beyond the floweriness and chalky aftertaste. There was definitely a touch of sweet. I had my man try them and he said he thought he tasted some strawberry though.


Does it Sparkle? 
B- Yes! The frosting is a pale pink color. It is definitely reminiscent of the cherry blossom trees. These cookies fit right into nature's painting pallete. I knew just from seeing the box they would be pretty. 

V- They sparkle! The rich forest-colored creme and dark chocolate background captivate the imagination! They bring forth a serene mental picture of bold green tea plants reaching out of the healthy soil.  

Pairing
V- Matcha can be brewed differently depending on personal preferences regarding bitterness. If you think these cookies are too sweet, try dipping them in your favorite coffee! Or maybe they are too sharp? Crumble them over vanilla ice cream (they are thin enough to do so beautifully) for that extra sweetness! Citrus also compliments matcha, so don't be shy to enjoy these with a lemon drop cocktail.

B- Maybe I've been primed with tea because of the association with sakura tea, but I think these would actually go really well with green tea (another not-so-veiled compliment to the matcha/sakura pairing). I think this because both are fairly light, clean tastes. The sakura cookies add a touch of sweetness to a bittersweet steamed green tea.


The Ultimate Pair!

Buy Again?
B- Not for me. I'm just not a fan of sakura. I absolutely love these blooms on the trees but not to eat. 

V- YES! I hope they reach the U.S.A. It was a bit of a process to get them from Japan, but it was worth it!

Final Thoughts
V- I appreciate the opportunity to share these treats from across the world with our readers! If you have any questions about how to obtain these gems, just let me know. 

B- As I was sampling these, I felt the distinct sensation that I was eating something I shouldn't be -i.e., flowers. This only confirmed I dislike floral flavors. Before I thought it was just lavender I didn't like. But aIthough I can't personally love this flavor, that doesn't mean I wouldn't recommend to others! (Hopefully ya'll followed that double negative).



The Ratings!
Since the matcha and sakura Oreos were released together, we rated them as one unit. We pride ourselves on reviews that are clear and concise!

Flavor Creativity
    
 Flavor Execution
   
Aesthetics
    
Pairing
   
Buy Again?
  
Overall
   

Want More Oreos?
Subscribe above! And follow us on Instagram at werateoreosbv 

Comments

Post a Comment

Please share your thoughts!

Popular posts from this blog

Space Dunk Oreos

-
Image
Killer Oreos From Outer Space January 29th, 2024, in a galaxy far far away, Nabisco's Space Dunk Oreos hit shelves! With probe Odysseus landing on the moon (the first one in decades to do so) in February and the rare eclipse happening in April, we have been partying to the moon and back! Maybe we'll finally get to meet the aliens! While this is not the first marshmallow-flavored space Oreo, it is the first to add pop rocks to the creme. Do the Space Dunk Oreos live up to the 2024 intergalactic hype? Let's find out together. We are B and V and WE RATE OREOS! Creativity V- Pop rocks and marshmallow as a flavor combo is certainly unique! If you liked it (like I did), then the risk paid off and you might find it creative. If you didn't like it, it may come across as a bizarre pairing that is more focused on being unique or edgy than flavorful. I am giving it creativity points because the theme and flavors were wacky, but it worked! I also love how, for this edition, they el
Read more

Black and White Oreos

-
Image
Black and White ! In December 2023, Nabisco first revealed the black and white Oreos. No grey area here! Maybe I am overly free-associating but for me, black and white conveys classy old movies, Transatlantic accents, noir detectives, and incredible style! Did Nabisco evoke such grandeur? Let's find out together! We are B and V and WE RATE OREOS! Creativity B-  OK, s o the idea was *almost* there for this. As a first impression, it sounds cool and the cookies themselves look classy as hell. But unfortunately, the execution wasn't all there to earn any points from me here. They could've taken the flavor and name a step (or two or three) further. V- The black and white Oreos are simple. We have vanilla cookie sandwiches with a swirl of white and chocolate creme on the inside. For full creativity points, Nabisco would need to incorporate the black-and-white concept into a grand theme! Maybe each package could have had fun facts about zebras (Nabisco should totally hire me as
Read more

Super Mario Oreos

-
Image
Super Mario Let's a-go! In July 2023, Nabisco released Super Mario Oreos! The flavor is classic, while the cookies have designs with all your favorite Mario characters. Super Mario is one of the most iconic pop culture icons of all time. One thing I've never understood though-how does Bowser kidnap Princess Peach one day, and then go go-karting with her as a friend the next? The world may never know! As established Oreo bloggers, we have high standards. We hope that each Oreo captures the strange, colorful magic of the Mario universe. Let's find out together. We are B and V and WE RATE OREOS!   Creativity V-  The Mario movie was a summer hit! Mario started hopping on Wrigglers and Yoshis in  Super Mario World  in 1990 ,  and it's no surprise that Nabisco is hopping on this bandwagon now! And I love it. It's fun when people come together to enjoy a pop culture moment. Unfortunately, I can't give full creativity points for such blatant capitalism. Maybe I would be
Read more