Bancha (2010)
by Dawn Spencer Hurwitz

Bancha’s tart, effervescent citrus top notes are chilled sparkling lemonade for the nose. Pine and herbal notes extend the icy-crisp flavor into Bancha’s astringent green heart, but at the expense of an off-putting chemical harshness. Indeed, the pine/citrus accord smells more like the bastard offspring of Blenheim Bouquet than Japanese green tea. Only in this case the pine note quickly swells out of proportion to drown the composition in a flood of floor cleaning solution. If the result appeals to you, you can save yourself money by bathing in Pinesol. To appreciate Dawn Spencer Hurwitz’s mastery of composing with green notes, skip this misfired effort and try her brilliant Celadon or Viridian instead.

18th July, 2010.