Nishi San’s Hand-Picked Yabukita Shincha

Origin: Nishi San’s Garden, Kirishima Mountain, Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan 
Cultivar: Yabukita 
Harvest: April 18, 2023 
Elevation: 370m 

The Nishi family is renowned throughout Japan as pioneers of organic tea cultivation. This year, they selected several specialized batches for us, including this micro-lot of hand-picked shincha crafted from the yabukita cultivar. The yabukita cultivar is the primary cultivar grown in all of Japan and was developed in the 1970s. Kabuse shade-wrap cultivation enhances the lovely green leaf color of yabukita and brings out its deep and energizing characters. This lot has a smooth and gentle roast with rich umami flavor that strikes a balance of savory and bittersweet. This tea showcases the rich soil, rustic natural style and forest mountain terroir of the Nishi family’s tea gardens.

Add 6g tea to a small ( 150ml/5oz) kyusu teapot. Use water cooled to 170°F.    
Infuse for 30 seconds and decant.  
Repeat for another 1-2 infusions for 15 seconds.