14/02/2026
This day of “love,” indulge me to share with you what it feels like being with my partner, quite similar to how I’ve grown to loving Yame 03 from Kamai Tea / Jacque and Matcha.
I held back for so long from writing something about him, much like I held back from reviewing this matcha. I didn’t want to simplify it, nor give hype to something I wanted fully for myself. This love, I wanted to keep private, away from the scrutinies of a (sometimes) cruel world. Maybe, in a way, that's selfish of me.
But if there’s anything this love has taught me over the years of being together, it is to give without expectations of return, be patient without keeping score, and to be able to exist as a whole person. It has taught me that depth does not need to be loud to be real and that consistency can be more intoxicating than intensity.
Perhaps what drew me in was not the kilig or excitement, but the consistent presence, not overwhelming at first encounter, but inviting enough to allow you to stay longer to appreciate its complexity.
Its aroma sits somewhere between wet and dry, with a clean entry. It carries a creamy medium body with nutty notes expanding through the mid-palate, reminding me of castañas on a comforting Christmas morning. The finish is long, savory, rich with umami that lingers without turning bitter. There was no performance. It revealed itself slowly, asking to be understood, not consumed.
