Sokenbicha(爽健美茶) is the most popular blended tea drink sold in Japan. It was originally introduced into the market as a rival product to Asahi's "Jurokucha".
A New Blend
Last year, a vote was held to decide whether or not the new "Sukkiri Blend" tasted better than the old, original blend. Personally, I preferred the original blend as the new blend tasted a bit watery and light. That was not surprising as, "Sukkiri(すっきり)" literally means "clear / refreshing". The new blend incorporates 2 new ingredients, yomogi and black sesame, while ridding of pu-erh, green tea,
biwa leaves,
tochu leaves, and germinated brown rice. By ridding of green tea and pu-erh, the the new drink has become caffeine-free.
The results of the voring, announced May last year, was 824,441votes for the new taste and 716,504 votes for the old one.
So now, only the new Sokenbicha can be seen around Japan.
Taste
Sokenbicha tastes mainly of barley and brown rice, but the other ingredients give it a nice flowery and aromatic taste to it. This can be said for both the new and old tastes of Sokenbicha.
Since Sokenbicha has such a unique flavor, the best way to find out about the taste is to drink it yourself.
Comment
Even after the change in blend, Sokenbicha is still one of my favorite drinks. Healthy, aromatic and refrshing, Sokenbicha is something I would likely buy on a hot summer day.
