Japanese Koucha / black tea from the Kagoshima region with nutty, floral and sweet notes. Suitable for preparation in Gaiwan or Kyusu.
Yakushima Koucha / black tea from Kagoshima, Japan
Harvest: spring 2021
When I received the sample of this Japanese Koucha (Japanese: Kou = black; Cha = tea), I didn't expect much from it because of the broken leaves. But with its unique properties, it has now become one of my favorite black teas.
The dry leaves in a warmed up gaiwan smell really flowery and nutty. The taste is a combination of Gushu Black (fruity), Meizhan Jin Jun Mei (flowery like rose buds) and Assam (bitter and astringent like tobacco).
The Assam part can get too strong and add bitterness, astringency, and tobacco flavor, but if you take care not to let it steep for too long (hot water in and out almost instantly) you get a super tasty black tea that is a good one Combination of a rosy aroma, honey and pollen sweetness, with almost everything that is good Yunnan Dianhong, Gushu Black and a flowery Jin Jun Mei have to offer. The bitterness and astringency of this tea can be strong if steeped for too long, but with good concentration you can get a very deep and complex black tea.
I love this black tea not only for its soothing aroma and taste, but also for the concentration it takes when I make it. For me it is not only a good tasting tea, but also an interesting tea with strong properties, as not every black tea is a challenge for concentration.
If you're looking for a strong, black tea that is floral, sweet, and nutty at the same time, then you should try this Yukushima Koucha.
I recommend 80-90 degrees Celsius and about 3-10 seconds in Gaiwan.
For the best result, we would like to invite you to read the following article about the Making a tea called Gongfu Cha to read.
