Kyoto Oolong 2022
The Garden
The Kyoto Oolong comes from the Nakai family’s garden in Kyoto. They’re pioneers of organic farming in Japan and have been growing tea for 7 generations. The garden is in Kyoto prefecture, the heartland of fine Japanese tea. We’ve been working with the Nakai family for over 10 years, bringing their best teas into our collection and experimenting on new tea styles.
This Tea
It’s unusual to find an oolong from Japan. Almost all tea leaf in Japan is made into green tea. As experts in bringing you unusual teas, Lalani & Co are pleased to bring you this special oolong. The leaves are initially sun-withered, followed by oxidation, firing, and a long overnight roll. The process is similar to some Taiwanese oolongs. The Kyoto Oolong was last in our collection in 2019. Nakai-san then changed his oolong method. After a few years, we’ve persuaded him to re-make a batch for us using the original method, and this is it.
Tasting Notes
On the palate, the Kyoto Oolong is very complex. This tea is at the sweeter end of the spectrum. There’s a lively fruity acidity and apricot character. This combines with a syrupy texture and a toasty biscuity finish. Altogether, it’s reminiscent of an apricot cheesecake with toasty base. The leaf grade is a little on the rustic side but the flavour is worth it.
We suggest infusing 4g (1 tbsp) per 150ml (teacup) at 70°C for 3 mins. Try this way and feel free to adjust to taste.