2012 Kabusé Daitsuin

Peter Stanik, the owner of Pu-erh.sk, kindly sent me samples of two new Japanese teas in his offering, teas that seemed interesting just from reading the description – one Sencha and one Kabusecha from Ohira tea estate, a grower who's never sent his teas abroad before. Moreover, grown in mountainous part of Shizuoka – when talking about Japanese teas, elevation of 500-1000 meters above sea level can almost be considered high-mountain.

First, I have decided to try Ohira's Kabuse. This tea has shorter, probably medium-steamed (chumushi) leaves; beautiful shiny, dark green, almost blueish needles. They emit a soft, sweet smell of ripe fruit, flowers and cream.

The preheated Shiboridashi intensifies this aroma. As the water cools down, the first infusion is prepared – transparent, light yellow in color, with a taste that is round, clear and light - lighter than most shaded or half-shaded teas, actually. Tones of grapes, milk, hazelnuts and apple juice. Though light overall, this brew also shows significant amount of umami and warm, creamy sweetness. Long, refined aftertaste; not too strong, not that aggressive, but indeed complex, deep and dominated by green grapes and light sweetness. All this accompanied by a calming effect on mind, again, different from most Kabuse teas – again, quite light, yet perceivable.

  

The second infusion gains strength as expected. Its color is now green, still transparent and very clear. This brew tastes slightly sharper, though still very light and pure, with strong umami, predominant fruity tone of apples and grapes, followed by creamy sweetness, milk and nuts. The aftertaste is, again, light but long, just a little shorter than before, very pure and with nuances of fresh, green fruit, vanilla and leaves an unexpected feeling, reminding me of pines and conifer forests – a walk in the mountains, almost. I'm always fond of such an effect in Japanese teas.

The third brew keeps the second's green color and returns to the rounder character of the first infusion, though providing less deepness and more of the nutty, spicy tones with slightly weakened sweet, milky notes. Still very pure and light, this brew has a medium-long aftertaste, more mouth filling than before and dominated by vanilla, hazelnuts and apples.

One more infusion is prepared with significantly hotter water; a touch of sweetness, green freshness and spicy, woody simplicity. A warm, satisfying finish.

2012 Kabuse Okuyutaka

So many teas, so little time! That's pretty much what's been on my mind for the past month or so.

This Kabuse is just one of seven Japanese teas that have been lying on my shelf for quite a long time now, most of them since summer, and more are still coming – not to talk about teas from other countries, as there is quite a lot of them I would like to talk about as well.

Nevermind. Let's just hope I will get more free time in the forthcoming days to cover them all.

This Kabuse (half-shaded) tea is made of Okuyutaka breed and is quite a classic in Mr. Katahira's offering. I purchased it from Slovak shop Pu-erh.sk, operated by Peter Stanik.

Its leaves are typically long needles, shiny and dark-green, with subtle, cultivated smell – vivid sweetness, almonds, cream, milk and raspberries. Much more than that, countless tones of various kinds of fruit, flowers and spices. Such smell already showcases the complexity of this tea.

The water is cooled down for the first infusion, which is light green in color and quite clear and transparent at the beginning, though it gradually becomes opaque as it cools down.

Its taste is very sweet, round and with great amount of umami; a well-balanced experience for tongue with numerous tones – hazelnuts, almonds, raspberries, caramel, sweet cream and a warm character, reminiscent of high-grade Gyokuro. Its aftertaste is a long one, filling the mouth with creamy sweetness for a long time. It has a significant effect on mind as well – at least in my case, this tea helps me to calm down a lot (not in a sleepy way, though), though I've witnessed people saying it has the opposite effect on them, actually giving them a lot of energy (which is logical, considering the fact that Kabuse teas are generally quite high in caffeine).

The second infusion is yellowish-green, almost completely transparent and has a very vivid taste. Even though, it still doesn't show any traces of bitterness or even sharpness – this is one of the “roundest” teas I've recently encountered. This brew is mostly dominated by fruity notes, namely raspberries and a slight hint of sweet, ripe plums. As with the previous infusion, the umami is very strong. So is the nuttiness and sweetness. The aftertaste is once again quite long-lasting and, just as the infusion itself, mostly dominated by various kinds of fruit and overall warmness.

The third brew has a light green color, medium transparency and is slightly sharper in taste, which now possess a mild refreshing side to it as well. This infusion is a bit less deep than the previous two, being mostly fruity, spicy and with shorter, more vivid aftertaste.

One final infusion is made of these leaves, similar in character to the third brew, just a bit flatter and simpler. Nuances of spices, fruit and sharpness. Some nuts, some slight woodiness. Quite a refreshing, nice finish.

In the end, I must say that Mr. Katahira's Okuyutaka Kabusecha has probably been my favorite amongst his teas for a long time – and this year, it seems to have turned out exceptionally well.

  

2012 Kabuse Yabukita Midori

This is another tea from Mr. Katahira's farm in Nunosawa, Shizuoka imported by Teamountain that I purchased on my recent visit to Brno's Probuzeny Slon teahouse. A classic tea found in their offering for years, this is a very high-grade Kabusecha made of Yabukita breed that, according to its description, competes in various tea competitions every year.

Its leaves are beautiful – long, uniform dark-green needles that really make this tea attractive on the first sight. Their smell is deep, milky and fruity, quite typical for good half-shaded teas – ripe fruit combined with fresh greenness.

Kabuse teas are ideal for experimenting – they are, after all, on a half way between Sencha and Gyokuro and using different leaf to water ratio and different water temperatures can lead to very different and very interesting results. However, I most commonly prepare them similarly to the way they're made – something between Sencha and Gyokuro, both in the amount of leaves, brewing time and temperature (slightly cooler water than Sencha and slightly smaller amount of leaves than in Gyokuro).

The first infusion prepared this way is light yellow in color, very clear and has a soft, complex taste made of various tones – plums, grapes, milk, nutty sweetness and nuttiness. Vivid umami note mixes with fresh greenness and creates an interesting combination – while the tea itself seems warmer in character thanks to the sweet, 'shaded' nuances, it has a cooling, fresh finish and long, similarly diversified yet complex aftertaste.  

The second infusion is greener in color, stronger in taste and still very sweet in character – I was originally expecting this brew to be more Sencha-like, but instead got another refined, creamy infusion with vivid umami and nutty sweetness. It also feels very heavy on tongue, reminding me of some lighter Gyokuros. The aftertaste may be a bit shorter than before, but still is a strong one with sweet tones of milk, caramel and just a hint of ripe fruit.

The following brew is light-green in color, sharper in taste and now dominated by spicy, fruity notes, though still strong on the sweet side without any trace of bitterness. In a way, it almost reminded me of apple in caramel and cinnamon. These notes are followed by a shorter, simpler aftertaste which is sweet, slightly spicy and nutty.

One more infusion is prepared - a simple, refreshing Sencha-like brew with green, fresh tones, spiciness and slightly drier, woody finish.

August Mornings

Awaiting the Season with 2011 Sencha Yabukita Miyazaki

Seems like the spring is already beginning here in the middle of Europe. For the last week or so, we've been enjoying mild, awakening sun and and pleasant temperatures, allowing us to stay outside more than before. This weather naturally also awakens my desire for fresh, spring green teas – these aren't available yet, though, but luckily, there still are some last year's green remains worth drinking before the season begins.

The tea I'm going to talk about today is an inexpensive one; from Teamountain's regular offering. It originates in Miyazaki prefecture of Kyushu island, is made of first flush Yabukita leaves and is medium-steamed (chumushi). What distinguishes it from most regular Sencha teas is the fact that this one was shaded for a few days before picking, putting it somehow on a halfway between Sencha and Kabusecha.

The appearance of these leaves seems to correspond with its chumushi processing – there are some longer needles, though most of them are quite short. Other than that, they are shiny, ranging from light to dark-green and with very sweet, fruity and almost caramel-like smell, somehow unusual for Sencha - I suppose this is a result of shading.

The first infusion is lively green in color, very clear and smells even sweeter than the dry leaves. Its taste, though, is quite different – very refreshing, light and not so sweet, with mild tones of nuts, slight spiciness and fruit – though, in this case, as opposed to the smell which reminded me of ripe fruit, in taste it's something young and refreshing. The aftertaste is medium-long, pleasantly mild and made of various nuances; hazelnuts, caramel and white grapes.

The second infusion is brewed with slightly hotter water and has a bit more opaque green appearance and sweet smell. This time, the taste is sharper, greener and even more refreshing than before, though I've noticed one thing while drinking this brew – while refreshing, this tea lacks the cooling character many Sencha teas have, especially during spring and summer. Instead, this one feels warmer, nuttier and even a little bit roasty. Once again, I think this might be a result of shading – and it indeed ads to the tea's unusual character. The aftertaste is very long, full, fruity and nutty with enhanced sweetness, when compared to the previous brew.

In terms of color, the third infusion is similar to the first, being light green and transparent. Its taste is crispy, nutty and roasty; compared to previous brews, it lacks most of the refreshing tones. Now, the main tone seems to be reminiscent of freshly baked bread, slightly sweet and mouthfilling. The aftertaste is shorter, though still very pleasant and offers the former sweet, caramel-like and ripe-fruit tones, mainly of plums.

One more infusion is prepared with significantly hotter water; its clear, light-green brew gives simple, slightly woody and roasty taste and quite a warm overall feeling.

This everyday Sencha is one of the teas making my wait for first teas of 2012 at least a little bit easier. I'm quickly running out of it, though; but then, it's already March, the sun is shining and fresh Chinese greens are soon to be seen (and tasted), I believe.

Kuradashi Kabusé Tezumi Yabukita 2005

I’m leaving Bratislava again tomorrow.

This time, the destination I’m heading to is a lovely little village in the midst of woods, located close to Slovakia’s highest mountains, High Tatras. I already can’t wait, as the place is known for its breathtakingly beautiful and untouched nature and, therefore, also is an ideal place for tea drinker. I will spend one week there, with only limited (or, more likely, none) connection to internet.

Other than that, this small package arrived to my place today – containing two bags, both filled with quite uncommon Japanese teas. These two teas come from offering of local shop Tealand, both of them come from Shizuoka and are hand-picked (Tezumi), though they come from two different famous producers – one from Yutaka Katahira and the other one from Oota Masataka. This post is going to be a closer peek on the first one.

As some of you may remember, this Kuradashi (aged) Kabusecha comes from the same producer (and same cultivar as well - Yabukita) as the one I drank on my last trip to Brno, Czech Republic. This one, however, has been aged “only” for five years; in contrast to Kuradashi Kirara Kabuse Yabukita, which has been aged for 12 years.

Whole production of this tea is just 600 grams (about 21ounces).

After opening the package, what I can see and smell is no surprise – in a good way, of course. Beautiful, shiny dark-green needles show highest quality of processing, perfectly handled aging process and great care this tea was made with. They smell of sweet fruit and milk – intensely and refined.

Being steeped in lukewarm water for quite a long time, first infusion is pale yellow in color and has, similarly to smell, taste which is mild and vivid at the same time, with distinct umami tone, deep sweetness and a little bit spicy aftertaste.

The second infusion, prepared shortly after the first one, is golden-yellow in color, though the infusion is still quite pale. The taste is even more intense, being very complex, deep and milky with most fruity tones receding. This is, in my opinion, the best infusion, as it represents all that I expect from top-quality Kuradashi tea.

Third infusion is already prepared with water which is a bit higher in temperature, though still far below the boiling point. It has a rich, noble astringency and very intense aftertaste, being most vivid of all brews.

This tea is also enjoyed in fourth infusion, which is mild and astringent, though still surprisingly pleasant and specific.

After the session, my mind is as calm as it rarely is; this tea truly is a gem.

2010 Kabusé Okuyutaka Kari

I made a little pause between my travels and came back home from Czech republic for a few days – it isn’t a long way at all, just one and half of an hour by train from Brno to Bratislava. Meanwhile, the weather here has calmed down and finally stabilized on delightful 25 degrees Celsius. It seems like new spring is being born outside – after two weeks of terrible heats and one week of heavy downpours and thunderstorms, flowers are growing again in large quantities and are now in their blossom – very enjoyable to watch and feel.

This Kabusé is one of two fresh Ichibancha teas I bought in a teahouse in Brno. It comes from offering of Martin Špimr’s Teamountain, which, from all my previous experiences, is a synonym of good tea. This tea is made of Okuyataka cultivar – quite uncommon and rare in some way. It was produced in a village of Nunosawa, Shizuoka and possibly comes from farm of Mr. Katahira, who already is a well-known producer for me and probably also for readers of this blog, though I’m not 100% sure about this, as Teamountain gives no information on producer on their website in this case.

Long, shiny, dark-green and narrow needles in perfect condition – that’s what you find after opening the package. They are really quite dark in color, resembling Gyokuro more than Sencha. This tea is prepared in my new Shiboridashi made by Petr Novák, as it fits it perfectly – and, moreover, thanks to high quality of processing and care these leaves received from producer, they won’t require the thick strainer of my good old Kyusu.

These dry leaves have very soft, sweet and noble smell, which is at least as wonderful as their look.

After being brewed in almost lukewarm water, they produce an infusion which is light-green in color and very deep, sweet and pleasant in taste. The umami is very vivid, once again greatly resembling high-grade Gyokuro. There is one exception, however – this fresh, light and fruity tone, so typical for good Sencha.

Second infusion is being prepared with just a bit warmer water and shorter brewing time. The tea now is brighter green in color, while its taste and smell are now more Sencha-like. There still is a distinct umami tone, though. Yet, this infusion is very fruity, complex and strong, full and deep on tongue and is followed by strong aftertaste with tones of ripe apples and plums.

Third infusion is also very fruity and already leaves most of the vivid Gyokuro characteristics behind. It still is very complex in mouth, with aftertaste even stronger than before. There still is no unwanted astringency or bitterness in this infusion.

Fourth infusion is already lighter in color and whole character, though still being very pleasant and maintaining many positive qualities of previous brews. Fifth infusion is made after this one, being similar to fourth, just with less fruity, noble and deep tones and more of woodiness and a bit of grassy feeling.

After this last brew, leaves are still lively-green and full of life; big part of them is therefore eaten with same pleasure as I drank the tea made out of them. These leaves are very sweet and tasty, still demonstrating high-quality of this tea.

Also a small note on the teaware I used - this little, cca. 80ml Shiboridashi with cup is the first work by Petr Novák in my collection. Until now, I never used his teaware, apart from few teacups in various teahouses in Czech republic - I always have been just admiring his works on internet, mostly on Darjeeling.cz.

After using this set for three times, I can already say that it immediately became my favorite tea-brewing device. It not only is pleasant to watch and touch, it also fits in hand perfectly and is very functional, with great pouring action. I also appraise that thanks to its elevated edge, it doesn't burn fingers at all and, therefore, is very easy to manipulate without unnecessary effusion.

Great work, Petr, keep it up.

Brno and its tea

As some of you may remember from my previous post, I am currently staying in a charming village near Brno, the second largest city of Czech republic. Apart from large and really interesting city center, castle and cathedral, Brno has much more to offer - especially to tea-lover, as it hosts more high-quality teahouses than any other city around.
I visited three of them in last few days. Each had completely different, unique atmosphere, different tea menu and different selection of teaware - thing I'm interested the most every time I visit this city, as I thing there are many great ceramists in Czech republic, blending traditional Czech and Moravian pottery with strong inspiration from Japan and Korea - the results are unbelievably pleasant to watch, touch and, in most cases, use.
Today, I was in mood for some really special experience, so I visited teahouse called Probuzený Slon, which is well-known by local tea-lovers and offers mostly teas from Martin Špimr's Teamountain and Zdeněk Prachař's Longfeng, which are, in my opinion, possibly two of best tea-distributors in Europe - or Central Europe, at least.
I am sorry for bad quality of photos, but they were taken with mobile phone in quite dark room.




I ordered really special tea - Kuradashi Kirara Kabuse Yabukita 1998. They serve higher grade teas like this in this teahouse, with small kuysu and thermos of hot water, which is, in my opinion, ideal serving and should inspire many other teahouses to do so as well. You may also notice the small teacup in lower right corner, which seemed to be Petr Novák's work.




This unique aged tea comes from farm of Mr. Katahira, from whom I remember drinking this year's Shincha - wonderful tea as well.
This Kabuse was left to age for 12 years. Now it's the right time to try it.




The first infusion. I used 65 degrees hot water and brewed this infusion for one minute. This method gave me very light-yellow infusion with intensive smell. Then, I tasted it - unbelievably complex, milky, rich and heavy taste, with vivid tone of quince fruit. This tea is like no other Japanese tea I've ever experienced; it was completely different than any Kabuse, Gyokuro or anything else, from infusion collor to smell and taste.




The second infusion is being brewed. I made four infusions overall, though I enjoyed the first and second one the most.




After savouring this special tea and relaxing a bit in teahouse's nice atmosphere, I made a small purchase before leaving - buying this Shiboridashi and teacup made by Petr Novák and two fresh 2010 Japanese green teas - one Sencha from Yame and Kabuse Okuyutaka Kari from Shizuoka.
Will post more about these teas and teaware in near future.
Until then.