Sokenbicha

Product Type:Tea: Sweetened; Container: 15.2 oz PET
BevNET Review: Using what the label describes as a “full-bodied barley tea blend,” the Skin variety of Sokenbicha has the most complex flavor of the lineup. Using a blend of roasted pearl barley, toasted rice, pu’erh, green tea, roasted brown rice, green tea, and young barley leaves, the product has a subtle toasted flavor to it. The tea is present, but very mild on the palate, with a smooth finish that makes it easy to forget about the product’s lack of sweetener. The addition of cinnamon and ginger also aid the finish, with a slight note of spice hitting your tongue at the very end. All in all, it’s one of the better tasting unsweetened tea products that we’ve sampled in a long time. However, we don’t completely understand the Skin “function,” which is, according to the label, based upon the inclusion of cinnamon, ginger, and botanicals. Given how water-heavy this product is, it’s hard to believe that meaningful amounts of these ingredients are present. Plus, selling the product on its benefits to your skin rather than its flavor (which is a secondary part of the pitch) seems likely to exclude those consumers who are not looking to buy a beverage to help their skin (that’s a large percentage, we’d bet). Otherwise, we like the visual appearance of this product, with an attractively-shaped hot-fill bottle (which also allows it to have no preservatives) and a label that gives off the vibe that this is a high quality, premium tea, with Japanese roots (it was formulated in Tokyo, but appears to be made in the USA). Definitely the best of the line.Reviewed on: 10/13/2010

Product Type:Tea: Unsweetened; Container: 15.2 oz PET
BevNET Review: Starting with a base of green, oolong, and black teas, Sokenbicha Purify has a smooth flavor and a slightly grassy finish, which is to be expected based on the blend. The addition of citric acid creates a slightly bitter note to the finish. As far as unsweetened teas go, it’s really quite easy to drink, with a much lighter body than some of the other brands that compete in the unsweetened space. For the “Purify”, they’ve added chamomile and aloe, although the label doesn’t do anything to connect these ingredients to the loose functional claim that is implied by the Purify name. Still, the look of the bottle is, as far as unsweetened Asian teas go, is a standout, with an authentic and sophisticated look to it. Plus, the shape of the bottle gives it some visual appeal and differentiation from some of the other products in the space, which often use stock square-shaped bottles. Overall, we really like the flavor and the bottle, but we’re not big fans of the way that they’ve introduced functionality into the picture. Reviewed on: 10/13/2010

Product Type:Tea: Unsweetened; Container: 15.2 oz PET
BevNET Review: Sokenbicha’s Revive variety is a blend of oolong tea, black tea, rose petals, rose hips, and ginseng which have been enhanced with natural flavors and citric acid. The result is something that starts out tasting nice (or “crisp” as the label says), but it finishes with a hit of bitterness and rose flavor – two things that don’t work so well with the base tea flavor. It’s hard to say whether this is the choice of tea or the choice of flavorings to go with it, but it definitely needs a trip back to the drawing board. We’d say the same about the use of the word “Revive,” which has been given a lot of emphasis on the front of the bottle. Instead of pushing a very loose functional claim, we’d like to see some emphasis on the actual flavor of the drink (and the type of tea used). Currently, the small print is where you’ll find a description of the flavor and tea – we don’t think that’s going to cut it against the competition. On a positive note, the shape of the bottle and the associated label design definitely pop off the shelf, especially when sitting next to the square shaped bottles that are so common with other Asian themed unsweetened teas. They’ve done a nice job of making this product feel sophisticated and credible, while also giving the product a shape that’s easy to grip and feels comfortable in the hand. Overall, this flavor’s packaging is eye catching, but what’s inside the bottle is in need of some refinement. Reviewed on: 10/13/2010