Saemidori Kabusecha (Shaded Sencha) 2022

The Garden

From the ash-covered soils of Kagoshima, under the gaze of Kirishima volcano, on the southern tip of Kyushu Island, comes this sophisticated single-varietal Japanese tea, picked from the organic Nishi family garden. The garden is owned by Nishi-san and his brothers, and is a pioneering garden for organic tea farming in Japan.

This Batch

Like wine grapes, tea has many varietals. This tea is picked from one varietal of tea plant called Saemidori. Unlike sencha, which is grown in the sun, Kabusecha is covered before harvest. Covering the plants increases the amino acids in the leaf, which gives this tea the umami flavour profile which is highly sought-after in Japanese teas. This batch had 9 days of shading before picking, and a short steaming for 30s.

Tasting Notes

A delicious example of a Saemidori Kabusecha. The tea is brothy, umami, buttery, and mushroomy. The finish is remarkably long and umami.

Infuse at 6g per 150ml (teacup size) at 40C for 2 mins. This is the authentic Japanese way which brings out the umami. You can also infuse with 4g at 60C for 1 min.

Storage and Ageing

As with most Japanese green teas, the Saemidori Kabusecha 2022 is best fresh and young, so we suggest storing this tea in a cool dry place and enjoying it while it’s young; ideally within 18 to 24 months.