CHIRAN SHINCHA | WARAKAKE (RICE STRAW SHADING)

This is our second year sourcing Warakake and we are thrilled!  Intense green colour with stunning notes of artichoke hearts, apricot blossoms and rich umami.

Warakake's trees were covered for 15 days with rice straw (as opposed to the canvas that is used for most kabuse cha); this is a very labour intensive process, which yields most interesting results in terms of flavour.

Tasting notes: artichoke hearts, apricot blossoms, and umami

Harvest:  mid-April, 2023

Cultivars:  Saemidori (65%), Yabukita (35%)

Days Covered with Rice Straw:  15   

Origin:  Chiran, Kagoshima, Japan  (31.4ºN 130.4ºE)

Brewing Suggestions:  4g tea, 240ml water @ 70℃, 45"

Summer Brewing Suggestion:  

This delicious, fresh, shade grown tea happens to be ideal for mizudashi (ice brewing). Check out this video that we made for Asatsuyu sencha, and try some at home!

About The Producer

After World War II, grandfather Furuichi had only a bike and a love for tea. He biked through the Chiran region in Japan buying tea leaves and making his own tea. Now his tea company is run by three generations of the Furuichi family and produces some of the best sencha we’ve ever had. They use top of the line equipment and over 10 different cultivars to produce tea that bursts with citrus notes and tastes like nothing we’ve ever had before.

Grower on the map