402 * Japanese Houjicha

Amore Tea 402 is a  popular organic Japanese green tea from the Nakayama Village in Shizuoka, Japan, where they have been growing organic tea for 36 years. They craft their premium Houjicha from spring-harvest leaves, carefully roasting ichibancha (first harvest) leaves. While most houjicha is made from bancha harvested in autumn, our Premium Houjicha is made of sencha from the precious first flush harvested in May. The delicacy of spring leaves, deep roasted at a high temperature, translates into a richer flavour with notes of buttery walnuts, a rich earthy mushroom character and sweet flavours with savoury undertones, reminiscent of salted caramel. Enjoy this low-caffeine, medium-bodied, clear and light “woodsy” soul-soothing drink and its elegant toasty aroma any time of the day.

This tea is grown at an altitude of 350m (1150ft), with the Yabukita cultivar. This particular lot is made from premium leaf material, instead of the older, unsorted leaf material that is typical of Houjicha. The result is a sweeter tea with more endurance in the steepings. The roasting process reduces the amount of caffeine, while the high temperatures turn the tea brown, even though Houjicha is a green tea.

Origin: Shizuoka, Japan
Cultivation: single origin, organic
Tasting Notes: buttery | walnuts | toasty | salted caramel