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» Matcha-flavored Garrett Popcorn, here we come!【Taste Test】

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Matcha-flavored Garrett Popcorn, here we come!【Taste Test】

Kay Mar 24, 2016
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That’s right, Garretts Popcorn’s current seasonal flavor is “Matcha Caramel Crisp“, and we saw absolutely no reason whatsoever not to try it!

Yes, Japan certainly loves gourmet popcorn, and Garrett Popcorn is a favorite destination for those of us searching for yummy treats. And with matcha green tea-flavored items continuing to enjoy popularity all across Japan, when Garrett Popcorn announced that it was offering Matcha Caramel Crisp popcorn for a limited time we weren’t completely surprised, but it still sounded awfully tantalizing.

And so we found ourselves hurrying to the Garrett Popcorn store in Tokyo’s Harajuku neighborhood, as the flavor is a seasonal offering available for one month only, until April 15.

The colorful hand-written sign in the store indicated that the Matcha flavor was the second best-selling item at the Harajuku branch.

The sign behind the counter had a large picture promoting the Matcha Caramel Crisp flavor.

Here’s our first look at the green popcorn that we were so eager to try! They also had the Almond Caramel Crisp and Mixed Salt flavors at the counter.

Soon we were back home with the precious green snack and ready to take a taste. We were even able to get the popcorn in one of their limited edition SAKURA tins, which are also available until mid-April (while supplies last).

The SAKURA tin, designed with a “Cherry Blossom Party” theme, was as lovely as expected, with delicate details and a pale pink color.

The top of the lid looks yummy too, with images of cherries and whipped cream.

Finally, we opened the can!

Hmmm…it looked like we’d have to do a bit of unwrapping before we got to taste the goodies.

Yes, glorious green popcorn! And the unmistakable sweet smell of caramel was inviting as well.

The popcorn looked seriously attractive in a white bowl!

And here’s one last close look at a green piece of matcha and caramel goodness.

And what did we think of the popcorn after actually tasting it? Naturally, the sweetness of the caramel was delightful, but there was a good amount of saltiness to the popcorn too (and you know how dangerously pleasant a combination of salty and sweet in one item can be). Then, just when we thought the sweet and salty flavors were finished stunning our senses, we were able to detect the subtle yet unmistakable fresh taste and scent of matcha. Overall, it made for a complex mixture of pleasing flavors.

The Matcha Caramel Crisp popcorn is available until April 15 in small (450 yen [US$4.00]), medium (710 yen), and large ( 1,060 yen) bags as well as one-quart (1,400 yen) and one-gallon (3,300 yen) tins at all six Garret Popcorn locations in Japan, while the jumbo-size bag (2,100 yen) and two-gallon (6,000 yen) tin are available exclusively at the Shisui Premium Outlet and LaLaport EXPOCITY branches.

If you’re going to be in Japan in the next month, you might want to try this and see what the popular snack combined with a traditional Japanese ingredient tastes like. And for those of you who want to get a taste of the green popcorn but don’t have plans to visit Japan anytime soon, there’s good news. Garrett Popcorn has announced that it plans to sell the Matcha Caramel Crisp popcorn at overseas stores in the future, particularly in other parts of Asia. So, if green tea-flavored popcorn sounds like your kind of treat, you may want to keep an eye on the offerings at Garrett Popcorn locations near you, because you might have a chance to try the unique flavor right at home!

Store information
Garret Popcorn (Harajuku branch) / ギャレットポップコーン（原宿店）
Tokyo-to, Shibuya-ku, Jingu-mae, 1-13-18
東京都渋谷区神宮前 1-13-18
Open 10 a.m.-9:00 p.m.
Website