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“Nio Teas Advent Calendar 2022 – Day 17 At first I thought this was a duplicate, as I had a karigane from Sakamoto earlier in the advent. But they appear to be two different teas, even though...” Read full tasting note
Kukicha is a stem tea made from the stems and leaves of the tea plant. In this case, the stem tea comes from Mr. Sakamoto’s tea plants, normally set aside to produce some of the finest organic Gyokuro in Southern Japan. The tea is low in caffeine compared to leaf teas, even lower than the Karigane. The organic fertilizer Mr. Sakamoto uses on his farm greatly enhances the levels of umami and sweetness in the tea, making them quite flavorful.
The flavor is beautifully umami, similar to that of the Cha Musume. The stems of the tea render it smoother and sweeter, making it a nice gentle tea to enjoy later in the day. The stems also add a nice mineral tingling feeling to the tea. The added hay flavor towards the end enhances the flavor of the tea. This is a great tea to begin exploring the world of Japanese green tea. There is a sweet umami flavor that is comparable to that of more premium teas.
This tea is grown in Kagoshima Japan on the small farm of the Sakamoto family. Because Mr. Sakamoto specializes in Gyokuro, he shades the tea plants for 3 weeks prior to the harvest, in order to boost the levels of theanine, caffeine and chlorophyll. This also creates a sweeter and more savory flavor in the tea. The soil on the farm of Mr. Sakamoto is incredibly soft, due to the diversity of flora and fauna on the field which loosens up the soil. This soft soil allows the roots to penetrate deeper into the ground and absorb more nutrients.
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Nio Teas Advent Calendar 2022 – Day 17
At first I thought this was a duplicate, as I had a karigane from Sakamoto earlier in the advent. But they appear to be two different teas, even though they’re both made with gyokuro stems. I think this one has more stems, and the other has more leaves? Unsure.
Regardless, this is a tasty tea! It has the rich vegetal and umami flavor of gyokuro, but in a much lighter form. Sweet and smooth with a creamy kabocha note, paired with a clean, mineral finish with a touch of hay.
The second steep is much lighter, but still has a smooth vegetal note to it, along with fresh grass and a light nuttiness. It tastes a bit more kukicha-like, with less of the gyokuro intensity.
Flavors: Grass, Hay, Kabocha, Mineral, Nuts, Smooth, Spinach, Squash, Sweet, Umami, Vegetal
