I’ll be upfront about this…I sat on this herbal tisane for quite some time before giving it a sip!
The herbal tea I’m referring to is the currently sold out Organic Egoma Tea (also known as Perilla Leaf) on the Yunomi’s website. Egoma is a kind of perilla leaf, related to the shiso perilla leaf commonly served with sashimi (raw fish cuts) at sushi restaurants. Because I follow a vegan diet I do not eat raw fish nor did I have much knowledge about this connection because of it.
What I did find out – thru my own personal research – is that Perilla is an annual plant native to Southeast Asia and Indian highlands, and grown in the Korean peninsula, Southern China and India.
Thanks to Wiki…I found out it’s an annual plant growing 60–90 centimeters (or 24–35 in) tall, with hairy square stalks with the leaves being 7–12 centimeters (2.8–4.7 in) long and 5–8 centimeters (2.0–3.1 in) wide, with a broad oval shape, pointy ends, serrated (saw-toothed) margins, and long leafstalks. The leaves are green with occasional touches of purple on the underside.
The flowers of the plant bloom on racemes at the end of branches and the main stalk in August and September. The calyx, 3–4 millimeters (0.12–0.16 in) long, consist of upper three sepals and the hairy lower two. The corolla is 4–5 millimeters (0.16–0.20 in) long with its lower lip longer than the upper. Two of the four stamens are long.
The research I found went on to describe the fruit, too, but because this tisane uses only the herb of the plant I will end my description there.
Because I’m always intrigued by what plants have to offer to the human body I then found out about the potential benefits. Perilla seeds are rich in dietary fiber and dietary minerals such as calcium, iron, niacin, protein, and thiamine – as well as – dietary fiber and dietary minerals, such as calcium, iron, potassium, and vitamins A, C and riboflavin. Perilla seed oil has anti-inflammatory properties, and perilla leaf components are under preliminary research for potential anti-inflammatory properties. Perilla oil, with one of the highest proportion of omega-3 fatty acids, is beneficial to human health and in prevention of various diseases like cardiovascular disorders, cancer, inflammatory and rheumatoid arthritis, and others.
As far as the specific leaf in this offering on the Yunomi website I found out that it comes from the Chasandai Tea Factory.
Onto the actual herbal tea bag itself! We’re talking about Shimane-grown Organic Egoma Herbal Tea Bags from Chasandai Tea Factory in the Shimane Prefecture region. It’s classified as a Finishing Factory, was established in 1911, has 33 employees, and the CEO is Akemi Miyo.
One of the reasons it took me a while before blogging about this is because of the aroma. To be honest, I really wasn’t digging it. Dry – it smelled a little like glue…glue and herbs, basically. I was a little afraid that the herbal flavor was going to be so intense I would have a hard time with it but I was WRONG! The flavor was fairly mellow. Sure it was an herbal but it was a nice herbal. A comforting herbal tisane…that I didn’t have a problem at all sipping on. It was even a little sweet, a little savory, and possible even a little croissant-like. Those were my first impressions, too, and the more I sipped on it the more I enjoyed it.
This is a classic case of NOT pre-judging it purely based on aroma. Shame on me, eh!? I should have known better because I hate the smell of Valerian Root but LOVE the benefits. I think I will throw this herb and tisane offering in that category of ‘things I need to add into rotation but might need to plug my nose while steeping’.
I’m looking forward to more herbals like this. I might make it a personal goal to find other new-to-me-herbals to blog about here at SororiTea Sisters.
Want to Know More About This Tea?
Leaf Type: Herbal
Where to Buy: Yunomi
Description
- Name: Shimane-grown Organic Egoma Herbal Tea Bags
- Net weight: 12g (2g x 6bags)
- Ingredients: Shimane-grown Organic Egoma leaf
- Supplier: Chasandai Tea Factory
- Location: Shimane Prefecture
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Takarabako Tea Farm: Organic Shimane Aged Black Tea 2016 Vintage from Yunomi. . .
The Takarabako Tea Farm in Shimane Prefecture has been experimenting with creating aged black teas, “vintages” specific to a year, and allowed to age under fixed low temperature storage conditions. For this specific tea – Takarabako Tea Farm: Organic Shimane Aged Black Tea 2016 Vintage – I have to say I was blown away by the quality and flavor!
Straight-up this is an AGED Black tea. Cultivar: Yabukita with the harvest being that of Spring, 2016 from the Oba Sorayama District, Matsue City, Shimane Prefecture region.
It’s Eco-farmer certified by Shimane Prefecture, has the Organic certification of JAS (Tea, Persimmon) for agriculture, processing and packing, Local GAP certification by Shimane Prefecture, and received the Excellence Award for the 19th Japan Environment Preservation Agriculture Promotion Competition. IMPRESSIVE, eh!?
The tea brews up a red/orange/brown color while the aroma shines with maltiness and a hint of cinnamon and plum. It’s smooth cuppa with the aftertaste of honey or agave!
This is a very special tea. I would share it with those I know would appreciate it. I can’t wait to see what other lovely leaves come from this region and farm!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Yunomi
Description
The Takarabako Tea Farm in Shimane Prefecture has been experimenting with creating aged black teas, “vintages” specific to a year, and allowed to age under fixed low temperature storage conditions.
- Ingredients: Black tea
- Cultivar: Yabukita
- Harvest: Spring, 2016
- Region: Oba Sorayama District, Matsue City, Shimane Prefecture
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Nakamura-en Tea Shop Kyoto Karigane Hojicha from Nakamura-En Tea Shop (available at Yunomi)
Nakamura-en Tea Shop Kyoto Karigane Hojicha is a premium green tea that is made of roasted stems filtered from kabusecha which is a shaded green tea.
The tea shop itself is a quaint, 100+ year old shop near Ryogoku station on the JR Sobu line. The owner is Mr. Nakamura who speaks a bit of English, and selects some amazing teas from around Japan….including this one. The promoter of this wonderful tea is Yunomi Life and it’s available for purchase on their website.
The harvest is spring and the region is Kyoto Pref, Japan which contributes to the overall experience of this tea. The aroma is intense – right out of the bag! The flavor on the tongue is smoky and roasted up front with a sweet end sip.
The layers of flavor have you craving more. This is certainly a tea that you will take your time with. One to contemplate and appreciate. One that you will remember long after the cup is finished. A mighty fine roasted and toasted green!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Yunomi
Description
Roasted leaf stems filtered from the production of gyokuro (the most premium form of leaf green tea with lowest level of catechin) in Kyoto, Japan.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Takarabako Tea Farm: Organic Shimane Oolong Tea from Yunomi. . .
May I introduce you to…Takarabako Tea Farm’s Organic Shimane Oolong Tea…sold online from our friends at Yunomi.
Upon opening this package of loose leaf I thought the dried leaves were a little while and crazy for an oolong but I thought that was something that really set it aside from others, too!
It smelled a little airy and floral and grassy all at once. Much like if you were laying in the middle of a meadow while spring is blooming!
The flavor was comparable to a earthy green tea but had an hint of dryness and heartiness to it that some black teas have. It made for a very complex cup to contemplate. I guess you could say that it’s a ‘real thinker’.
This is the second tea I have had from the Takarabako Farm. The farm was established in 2003 as a subsidiary of the landscaping company, Matsuura-Zoen, Takarabako Tea Farm is located in the Oba Sorayama district in the southern part of Matsue City, Shimane Prefecture. The farmers conduct circulation type agriculture mainly based on tea and persimmon in addition to processing the crops and selling them directly to local consumers.
The president Kouichi Matsuura has five employees and carries the following Certifications: Eco-farmer certified by Shimane Prefecture, Organic certification of JAS (Tea, Persimmon) for agriculture, processing and packing, Local GAP certification by Shimane Prefecture, Excellence Award for the 19th Japan Environment Preservation Agriculture Promotion Competition.
For those who like unique Oolongs I would highly suggest trying this at least once!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Yunomi
Description
Takarabako Shimane Oolong tea is both thirst quenching like green teas and mouth drying like some black teas. It’s amazing how many different characters are connected in this tea to create something very unique. It’s more herbal-tea like than regular oolongs, very light with the actual taste floating somewhere in the middle of the gulp, perfect for everyday drinking in early autumn days or wintery spring. You can use the same leaves for at least 4 times. Love it.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Whisky Barrel Wood Smoked Black Tea from Kaneroku Matsumoto Tea Garden (Yunomi). . ..
The tea of the moment at Sororitea Sisters is Whisky Barrel Wood Smoked Black Tea from Kaneroku Matsumoto Tea Garden – available from Yunomi! I know the wordage seems like a mouth-full but wait until you EXPERIENCE this tea!
A little background on this unique Whisky Barrel Wood Smoked Black Tea from Kaneroku Matsumoto Tea Garden…it’s a loose leaf black tea from the Shimada, Shizuoka, Japan region. The black leaves are smoked using wood from Japanese Whisky Barrels.
This tea is a Silver Medal Winner of the 2014 International Tea Tasting Competition. I can totally see and TASTE why this was a winner! This tea fascinates me! A lot of effort and hard work went into this one! Special nod to Kaneroku Matsumoto Tea Garden as it is a family business, farm, and tea factory!
This is highly scented because of the whisky barrels used. It’s reminiscent of a Lapsang Souchong but it doesn’t leave the same aftertaste as many (or most) LS’s do! It leaves a sweeter, more pleasant lingering flavor and subtle hints of citrus, even!
I don’t know if it’s because I have been binge watching American Pickers or because I live in an area that has a sizable Amish population but I can’t help but think of a wooden barn on a damp, wet, rainy day. Regardless this tea awakens ALL of the senses! It forces you to pause and think. It’s a great way to take a short break from your busy day! This is a VERY MEMORABLE tea!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Yunomi
Description
Silver Medal Winner of the 2014 International Tea Tasting Competition, Matsumoto-san smokes his black tea using the wood from Japanese whisky barrels. No flavorings or additives used.