Kawanabe Japanese organic black tea

KAWANABE

-Japanese Black Tea-

From organic farming
Harvest 2023

Origin: Japan, Kagoshima province

Cultivar: Benifuuki

We are used to drinking many Japanese green teas: Sencha, Bancha, Matcha etc., but we are not at all used to Japanese black teas! An absolute novelty that deserves a close-up for the profile that this tea presents.

Japanese black teas or Kocha (紅茶) differ from the classic black teas we are used to. Their oxidation percentage is lower, they come from cultivars mainly used for green tea and their terroir is Japanese, traditionally used for greens. All this results in a more delicate and aromatic infusion, with notes of sweetness between fruit and honey. The name of this tea comes from the province of Kawanabe, located in the Kagoshima district in the south of the Japanese island. Here, Japanese black tea Kawanabe is grown and processed.

Unlike most black teas, its leaf processing is delicate and its leaves do not reach the same level of oxidation as classic black teas. Furthermore, its proximity to the sea gives this infusion an even more unique aroma and taste. Its notes range from citrusy to floral, sometimes reminiscent of the Japanese citrus yuzu.

The cultivar used for this tea is the Benifuuki, a result of grafts between an Indian cultivar that produces some of the best Darjeeling in India and the Benihomare, an Assamica cultivar.