Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green Tea
Where to Buy: Kyoto Obubu Tea Plantations
Product Description:
Roasted green tea, or Houjicha (ほうじ茶 sometimes 焙じ茶), is unlike any green tea you’ve tasted before. With a richly smokey flavor that is simultaneously light and sweet, houjicha has none of the bitterness of traditional green teas. And like decaf coffee, the roasting process removes the caffeine from the leaves making it the perfect after dinner / before bed drink.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This is my third and final tea from the December “Steep for Japan” Steepster Select box … yes I am a little behind this month! It was the 12 Day countdown with 52Teas that did it to me! But at least I am indeed tasting and reviewing it in the month of December, right?
The idea of this box was to celebrate the teas from Japan, and I think that the varieties offered in the box showed three very different types of tea from one very small country – all unique and very delicious reflections of a country that endured some pretty rough times this past year.
I’ve tried a couple of different Houjicha teas from Kyoto Obubu Tea Plantations, including the Organic Houjicha and their Houjicha Dark Roast. And I must say that even though they are all Houjicha, each possess their own unique qualities depending upon how they are grown and processed.
This Smoky Roast Houjicha is indeed smoky. The other Houjicha teas tend to have a smoky element to them due to the roasting process, but, here, the smoke is very well defined. It is evident in the aroma of the dry leaf and brewed liquor, and it is especially evident in the flavor. That being said, I wouldn’t call it overly smoky (this is no Lapsang Souchong). I like the level of smokiness to this Houjicha; it’s not too smoky for my palate, and I like that it does not overwhelm the other notes in the cup.
This tea is smooth and pleasantly sweet, reminding me a bit of caramel and I like the way the caramel-like notes meld with the smoky tones. A complimentary wood note fills in the background, providing a well-rounded flavor. It has very little astringency, and it is not bitter. Just a very enjoyable and relaxing cup!
As as it cools the flavors remain pleasantly warm and agreeable. The effect is something I’d liken to a soft, cozy blanket or fuzzy slippers; I get that kind of warm, comfortable sensation from this tea. Very nice, indeed!
Sencha of the Earth from Kyoto Obubu Tea Plantations
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Obubu Tea
Product Description:
Balancing sweetness with bitterness, the Sencha of the Earth or 大地の煎茶, was named because it comes from standard tea plants over 30 years old. The strength of these plants is simply amazing, and we can feel the power of the earth as we drink it. Grown on northwest facing slopes near the Wazuka River.
Taster’s Review:
Another fantastic Sencha from Obubu Tea!
It brews to a pale green that is much more translucent than Obubu Tea’s Sencha of the Autumn Moon that I reviewed previously. It possesses a slightly nutty aroma with a hint of spice in the background, and a vegetable front note.
This tea tastes so fresh and vibrant, like a run through a dew-drenched meadow of clover on a sunny afternoon. There are strong notes of vegetation that are a little more grassy than vegetable, and unlike some Sencha teas I’ve encountered, I don’t get that heavy buttery quality. There is a note of creaminess, but it is more like creamed spinach than it is creamy butter.
This tea is appropriately named, because there is also an earthy quality to the flavor of this tea that I don’t think I’ve ever experienced before with another Sencha tea. With this earthy note and the aforementioned grassy tones, this tea truly is a Sencha of the Earth!
This Sencha is delicious hot or iced, but I recommend trying it first as a hot tea so that you can fully appreciate all of the subtleties that this tea has to offer, because as it cools some of the flavors mute slightly, and this becomes much more vegetal-tasting than it is hot. One thing worth mentioning, though, is that as it cools, I notice more of a gentle pepper-y taste in the background that is quite delicious.
Regardless of how you choose to serve it, you should definitely try this tea!