Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green Tea
Where to Buy: Kyoto Obubu Tea Plantations
Product Description:
This Houjicha is special! Made by roasting mature sencha instead of bancha, Houjicha Gold boasts a much more intense flavour with lingering buttery sun flower tones. Relying on the name it turns bright golden in a cup and gives off a room-filling pleasant roasted fragrance. As it is made from sencha we recommend steeping it shorter than other houjicha.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I love hojicha (or houjicha, or Hoji Cha)! I just love that toasted flavor that comes of roasting the green tea leaves. The roasting process changes the green tea flavor, converting the “vegetative” or “grassy” taste of a Sencha and/or Bancha tea into a sweeter flavor that tastes like sweet, freshly roasted nuts.
And in this “line of work” I have had the opportunity to try MANY different hojicha. Some I’ve liked better than others (although I can’t really recall ever not liking a hojicha that I’ve tasted.) But this Hoji Cha Gold – also called Houjicha Gold – from Kyoto Obubu Tea Plantations is one of the very best, if not THE best, that I’ve tried!
What makes this tea different? This houjicha consists of only roasted Sencha leaves (rather than a combination of Bancha and Sencha, or just Bancha leaves) … maybe that’s the reason for the better flavor. I don’t know.
What I do know is that I taste a really deliciously sweet, roasty-toasty, nutty flavor. I taste not just nutty flavors, but hints of caramel and even a slight floral tone that is interesting.
I like that is not just sweet. There is a savory note in this tea that hits the palate right about mid-sip. This savory note comes from the slight floral note … it’s slightly sharp and intriguing!
At the start of the sip, the palate is washed with sweet, nutty flavors, and then as the sip progresses, the palate perks up with the introduction of this savory note. It sort of wakes up and says “Hello, what is this?” and this allows the palate to really explore this tea.
I find myself appreciating this contrasting note because as much as I do enjoy hojicha teas … sometimes they are just a little too sweet. I like this uplifting sharpness to the cup, it cuts through some of the sweetness, and makes the tea taste more balanced.
A really enjoyable Houjicha, one that I’m glad I had the opportunity to experience!
Sencha of the Summer Sun from Kyoto Obubu Tea Plantations
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Kyoto Obubu Tea Plantations
Tea Description:
Sencha of the Summer Sun or 太陽の煎茶（夏） is the companion to Sencha of the Spring Sun, with a bitter taste that is strong at first. But the as the aftertaste spreads through you mouth, you begin to taste the sweet early summer sun shining brightly. Great for washing down oily meals (like summer BBQs…yum!).
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I think that the description above, while somewhat bardic, is pretty spot-on to what I’m experiencing with this tea. The sip begins with a savory bitterness, and as it washes over the palate, there is a bright, fruity sweetness that comes through. It’s really quite remarkable, this Sencha of the Summer Sun!
When compared to other green teas – or even compared to other Japanese Senchas – this Japanese Sencha has a strong, assertive flavor. I would categorize it as a full-bodied green tea. It has a fair amount of astringency to it, and some may find it to be too astringent (personally, I do not find it to be too astringent, but I could see how others might find it so), so I recommend steeping for just 1 1/2 minutes to start (175°F) to help taper the astringency.
But even though it is a bold green tea, I’m not finding it to be overly vegetative. There is some vegetal notes in there, sure, but it tastes more like creamed spinach to me than a grassy taste. Sharp floral notes that meld with the aforementioned savory bitter tones give it an umami kind of effect which then subsides into a lovely fruit-like sweetness.
A true delight, this Sencha from Obubu Tea!
Houjicha (Smoky Roast) from Kyoto Obubu Tea Plantations
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green Tea
Where to Buy: Kyoto Obubu Tea Plantations
Product Description:
Roasted green tea, or Houjicha (ほうじ茶 sometimes 焙じ茶), is unlike any green tea you’ve tasted before. With a richly smokey flavor that is simultaneously light and sweet, houjicha has none of the bitterness of traditional green teas. And like decaf coffee, the roasting process removes the caffeine from the leaves making it the perfect after dinner / before bed drink.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This is my third and final tea from the December “Steep for Japan” Steepster Select box … yes I am a little behind this month! It was the 12 Day countdown with 52Teas that did it to me! But at least I am indeed tasting and reviewing it in the month of December, right?
The idea of this box was to celebrate the teas from Japan, and I think that the varieties offered in the box showed three very different types of tea from one very small country – all unique and very delicious reflections of a country that endured some pretty rough times this past year.
I’ve tried a couple of different Houjicha teas from Kyoto Obubu Tea Plantations, including the Organic Houjicha and their Houjicha Dark Roast. And I must say that even though they are all Houjicha, each possess their own unique qualities depending upon how they are grown and processed.
This Smoky Roast Houjicha is indeed smoky. The other Houjicha teas tend to have a smoky element to them due to the roasting process, but, here, the smoke is very well defined. It is evident in the aroma of the dry leaf and brewed liquor, and it is especially evident in the flavor. That being said, I wouldn’t call it overly smoky (this is no Lapsang Souchong). I like the level of smokiness to this Houjicha; it’s not too smoky for my palate, and I like that it does not overwhelm the other notes in the cup.
This tea is smooth and pleasantly sweet, reminding me a bit of caramel and I like the way the caramel-like notes meld with the smoky tones. A complimentary wood note fills in the background, providing a well-rounded flavor. It has very little astringency, and it is not bitter. Just a very enjoyable and relaxing cup!
As as it cools the flavors remain pleasantly warm and agreeable. The effect is something I’d liken to a soft, cozy blanket or fuzzy slippers; I get that kind of warm, comfortable sensation from this tea. Very nice, indeed!
Sencha of the Earth from Kyoto Obubu Tea Plantations
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Obubu Tea
Product Description:
Balancing sweetness with bitterness, the Sencha of the Earth or 大地の煎茶, was named because it comes from standard tea plants over 30 years old. The strength of these plants is simply amazing, and we can feel the power of the earth as we drink it. Grown on northwest facing slopes near the Wazuka River.
Taster’s Review:
Another fantastic Sencha from Obubu Tea!
It brews to a pale green that is much more translucent than Obubu Tea’s Sencha of the Autumn Moon that I reviewed previously. It possesses a slightly nutty aroma with a hint of spice in the background, and a vegetable front note.
This tea tastes so fresh and vibrant, like a run through a dew-drenched meadow of clover on a sunny afternoon. There are strong notes of vegetation that are a little more grassy than vegetable, and unlike some Sencha teas I’ve encountered, I don’t get that heavy buttery quality. There is a note of creaminess, but it is more like creamed spinach than it is creamy butter.
This tea is appropriately named, because there is also an earthy quality to the flavor of this tea that I don’t think I’ve ever experienced before with another Sencha tea. With this earthy note and the aforementioned grassy tones, this tea truly is a Sencha of the Earth!
This Sencha is delicious hot or iced, but I recommend trying it first as a hot tea so that you can fully appreciate all of the subtleties that this tea has to offer, because as it cools some of the flavors mute slightly, and this becomes much more vegetal-tasting than it is hot. One thing worth mentioning, though, is that as it cools, I notice more of a gentle pepper-y taste in the background that is quite delicious.
Regardless of how you choose to serve it, you should definitely try this tea!
Sencha of the Autumn Moon from Kyoto Obubu Tea Plantations
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Obubu Tea
Product Description:
Otsukimi (お月見) literally means “moon viewing” and is closely associated with Japanese festivals celebrating the moon in Autumn. It is at this time of the year when the moon appears brightest, and Japanese eat certain dishes such as tsukimi dango (round, white dumplings), edamame (soybeans), Japanese chestnuts, etc.
Our Otsukimi Sencha or Sencha of the Autumn Moon was named after this Japanese tradition not only because we harvest it in late September when the festivals occur, but also because the tea leaves and stems produce a bright yellow-green sencha with a round flavor.
Taster’s Review:
On the flavor guide for this tea on the Obubu Tea website, it suggests that the aroma of this tea “reminds you of a full moon.” Now, I don’t know if the aroma actually reminds me of a full moon, or if the mere suggestion evokes the image, but, I will say that the aroma is a pleasant one. Vegetative, but with notes that do remind me of the scent of the evening air on a clear night: the trees, the crisp breeze, and hints of flower in the distance. So, perhaps it does remind me of a full moon, or at the very least, a cool evening in autumn.
The tea brews to a rather murky shade of green, not an unpleasant color, but not the bright green that I often achieve from brewing a Sencha tea.
But do not let that sway you, because the flavor is delightful. It is rich and vegetative with a nutty undertone. There is an intriguing bittersweet flavor to this cup. Not a bad “bitter” – but a savory one that perks the taste buds right up and calls upon them to take another sip to experience the taste yet again.
The taste is very fresh and slightly grassy, which is something I’ve come to expect from a good quality Sencha such as this, however, this one doesn’t possess that sweet butter taste of some other Sencha teas, this one is more of a bittersweet kind of Sencha, making this an ideal choice for those who find that buttery feel and taste a little off-putting. The finish offers a very light astringency. The aftertaste is clean and lightly sweet with hints of flower and grass.
The tea has a very well-rounded flavor; very palate pleasing! Overall, a very enjoyable cup of Sencha!