High quality Japanese teas at good values
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While there is a craze for matcha in the market, genuine high quality is either extremely expensive or hard to get by. Especially if you want to get what is called ceremonial grade, i.e. those for consuming plainly as tea or employed in tea ceremony; as opposed to culinary grade — those for beverages with added ingredients or for making desserts.
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We have done some investigation in the past few years and anchored a few good sources. Bypassing all the middlemen, as we normally do. Comparing quality and prices has always been enjoyable, but it is making personal contact to build the relationship that is the most fun. Connecting those that are honest, passionate and capable is a privilege of my job.
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And I have been lucky. Our new friends in Japan have all the traditional qualities of devoted artisan tea makers and that particular hospitable and compassionate characteristics of old rural Japan. I think we shall be finding all excuses to return to see them just to enjoy their company.
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In one of the farms we visited in Yame, the son of the owner wore a tie to see us, and was quite excited throughout the time we were there, a little unusual for the Japanese way. We did enjoy the time there though, very fine teas aside, their hospitality and friendliness were exceptional.
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Back to matcha. We can now offer ceremonial grades that are either organic or traditional. Some come from a region that not many people mention — Mie — a major supplier to other more famous regions. That is why the same quality we can offer can be as much as one or two times lower in price.
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While matcha maybe a hot topic, there are other great potential tea varieties from Japan. In line with our other offerings, we have focused in those that are unique and gastronomically worthy.
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As mentioned in our last email, we visited Kyushu. At a farm in Yame that has received multiple times the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries ( MAFF ) Award ( 農林水産大臣賞 ), and who will be providing us with an old style, low temperature baked, flavourful sencha, we have enjoyed a kukicha that we have never had so wonderfully delicious before. They call it shiraore in Yame. And this particular one that I personally like very much is also made in low temperature from materials producing gyokuro. To me, it is an easy tasting version of gyokuro, but very affordably priced.
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Amino acids in the tea leaves intensify under a shaded growth environment for a certain amount of time. This gives the tea more savoury taste, better sweetness and less astringency.
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While the Yame sencha is intense and the shiraore easy going, if you want to target a customer group that would be more appreciative of the traditional umami taste of Japanese green tea, yet sweeter and softer, consider a kabusecha. It is shaded grown like a gyokuro, but with a more friendly price tag.
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I should let you go before I indulge myself to babble on. Before that, let me list some of the teas that have passed our taste and value test:
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- Sencha, Master Tasters Recommended, Uji
- Sencha Traditional, MAFF Award, Yame
- Organic Sencha, Mie (top grade)
Gyokuro - Chōkai
- Kabusecha - Miiki
- Shiraore Gyokuro - Hisui
- Kukicha - Tama
- Matcha - Yukimatsu (top grade ceremonial)
- Organic Matcha, Mie (top grade ceremonial)
- Organic Matcha, Uji (top grade ceremonial)
- Organic Matcha Ceremonial, Uji
Let us know if you have any need of these.
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The heatwave will be gone soon, just hang on. Stay chill with tea,
Leo Kwan
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A small shot of intensely cold-brewed sencha would be a great kick in a hot, humid afternoon, if you choose that instant sensation over the slow yet complete body cooling with gongfu-style, freshly infused maocha pu'er.
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