This Asahi Tencha is made from one of Japan's most esteemed Tencha cultivars, the processed tea leaf that is ultimately finely ground to make Matcha. This tea was produced by a 6th generation farmer whose ancestry and heritage in tea cultivation goes back to the Edo period and is the same purveyor of our Asahi and Samidori Ceremonial Grade Matcha.
Asahi is a prized Tencha cultivar (cultivar used for making Matcha) in Uji, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. The region's ideal soil, climate and mist from the Uji River create optimal conditions for growing this premium quality tea, which is cultivated and harvested for either tea competitions and/or artisan craft tea. The majority of Tencha / Matcha (80%) from Japan comes from the much more common Yabukita cultivar which is much more adaptable to different types of teas but with significantly less umami.
What makes this tea so unique is that the farmer adheres to the ancient practice of "Honzu" cultivation, even as modern farming methods dominate. Honzu cultivation uses natural, biodegradable materials such as straw and reeds to shade the tea plants. Shading by natural straw and reed screens is a sustainable but labor intensive approach, in contrast to the black plastic nets that most farmers use to shade their plants. The Honzu method enhances the Tencha plants' inherent sweetness and umami by filtering sunlight through straw and reeds, which diffuses light differently from synthetic nets. This method creates a more complex flavor with a hint of earthiness from the natural materials. The tea leaves of this Tencha are hand selected, ensuring that only the most tender and flavorful leaves are selected whether for this tea, or ultimately to be ground to Ceremonial Grade Matcha.
Asahi is greatly valued for its strong and creamy umami, as well as its marine fragrance. The first brew of this Tencha is quite similar in taste to Gyokuro (considered the "King" of green tea in Japan) in that it is very sweet & smooth, and lacks any astringency or bitterness. It does have a marine flavor that is inherent in most premium Japanese green teas and the tea liquor is a lovely green color.
Please note that the tea leaves have been de-veined and chopped into small pieces. Please do not apply Chinese or Taiwanese standards for premium tea to Japanese teas which have different methods of brewing to bring out the qualities inherent to Japanese teas. Premium Japanese teas can be expected to produce 1-2 very strong and quality steeps. Subsequent brews will be much lighter than subsequent brews of Chinese or Taiwanese teas. Fine Japanese teas are not necessarily whole leaf like Chinese teas.
This is quite a rare tea - especially being able to sample a single cultivar Tencha which has not been ground into Matcha. Please note that we are selling a 6g portion, which is good for 1 serving of 80mL of tea. Consider this purchase an opportunity to sample something incredibly special and rare on this side of the world, for the equivalent you might spend on a fancy Starbucks coffee, Matcha Latte or alcoholic drink. Savor and slowly sip each and every sweet drop!
