TSUJI SGY MATCHA | SAMIDORI + GOKOU + YABUKITA

The newest matcha creation from Tsuji K San, designed for a heavier usucha or for koicha.  

Blend:  Samidori, Gokou and Yabukita tencha.  We couldn't be happier with the results!

Tating Notes:  baby spinach, hazelnuts, sea asparagus

Cultivars:

Samidori (さみどり) is an unregistered cultivar, originally from the Uji region, that is very popular for shade grown tea (like matcha and gyokuro).

Gokou (ごこう) was propagated from a ‘zairai’ (seedling) tea plant that grew in Uji in the 1950’s.  With dark, rich colour and monster umami when grown in shade, gokou is a fairly popular cultivar for gyokuro and kabuse tea; it is, however, surprisingly uncommon for matcha. 

Yabukita (やぶきた) is THE most popular cultivar in Japan, used for tea grown both under full sunshine and under shade.  

About the Grower: 

Tsuji Kiyoharu is a legend; a fifth generation tea grower, he is the only living matcha farmer to have received awards from the Emperor (4 times!).  He has also earned multiple medals from Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.  Tsuji Sensei started his quest of insane umami when he was only 20 years old; having asked some of the best know tea experts for advice, he invariable received the answer:  ’start by learning in the fields’.  And so he did; acknowledging that tea fields are a universe of ever-changing variables, Tsuji San has learned to ‘listen’ to his tea trees every single year.  Organic fertilizer, shade, harvesting times and tea making techniques are adjusted accordingly.  We can guarantee that every lot of tea from Tsuji San will be unique.