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“So, being quite the fan of the teas that are offered by Holly over at Chiki Tea, I had to put in an order for all of their shiracha for this year. This one was the most exciting to me, being of a...” Read full tasting note
Cultivar: Yabukita (natural mutation)
Master Hideyuki Kumagai
We named this tea Hotaru, meaning firefly in Japanese, because it is so rare that you are lucky just to get a glimpse of it. In fact, this Shiracha is so unusual that most people in Japan don’t know it exists.
Why it’s RARE!
About three years ago a particular plot of yabukita varietal of tea plants underwent a drastic natural mutation, changing the leaves into a golden hue with an… Read more
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So, being quite the fan of the teas that are offered by Holly over at Chiki Tea, I had to put in an order for all of their shiracha for this year. This one was the most exciting to me, being of a mutated cultivar and uniquely processed.
The smell of this tea definitely stands out in comparison to your typical Japanese green. The liquor is a fairly predictable greenish yellow and the aroma is a buttery, umami blend. The texture is very smooth and rich, with a buttery thickness that is sweet from the very first sip. I get very distinct notes of sweet squash from this tea. Overall, delicious, and I enjoyed this for several days in a row before tearing myself away to leave some for tea friends and move on to the next one in the lineup.
Definitely would recommend this one to anyone who enjoys Japanese greens and who would like to try something unique.
Flavors: Butter, Butternut Squash, Smooth, Sweet, Thick, Umami
