Sencha Kariban First Flush – Organic Green Tea

Brew & Taste

Sencha Kariban 1st Flush gives a light green to yellow-green infusion, depending on the preparation method. It is naturally sweet, lacking any astringency. What it does have in abundance are floral notes, especially lilies and orchids. Its harmonious aroma and full, attractive flavor make it a favorite of true tea experts.

This tea is great both hot and prepared by macerating in cold water. We recommend trying both, as each offers a different flavor experience.

Origins

If you've been looking for a tea that's fine and truly special, you've just found it. It grew in the south of Japan, in the gardens of the mountainous island of Kyushu. Kagohsima Prefecture is famous for its green teas all over the world. Its own Kagoshima Green Tea brand has been used for harvests there since 1992, and is reserved for teas that meet the highest standards of cultivation and production.

Chinese tea trees (Camellia sinensis) grow on vast plantations surrounded by forests. With an altitude of around 500m and rapidly changing air pressure, the landscape is often shrouded in fog. Not only the almost permanent shade, but also the alternation of warm days and cold nights slows down the growth of the tea plants and allows their leaves to retain large amounts of amino acids. They are responsible for the sweetness of the drink we make from the Kagoshima harvest.

Japanese sencha teas are the absolute classic. However, the same cannot be said for Sencha Kariban First Flush. As the name suggests, it is the first harvest. It stands out for its delicacy and fragility, as the leaves are full of aromatic substances after the winter. It is said that First Flush provides the freshest and purest tea a plantation can offer. After plucking the first leaves and silvery buds, the tea is left to wilt in the sun for a while. It is then steamed briefly and repeatedly to stop the natural oxidation of the enzymes. The leaves are then shaped into flat needles which need to be dried slowly and carefully. When even this step is complete, the workers sort and package the tea.

It should also be mentioned that Sencha Kariban First Flush organic tea comes from a tea garden that runs on organic farming. The owners do not use industrially produced fertilizers and grow the tea plants with the environment in mind. Another reason to try this sencha!

When it comes to preparation, we recommend trying both the traditional method and cold water maceration. Each time you will get different flavors and aromas of the infusion.

For the hot tea, add 5g of tea into a teapot and cover with 250ml of water (80-90°C).

Cold brewing tea is very easy. Put 10g of tea in a large container, add 1l of room temperature water and leave to steep for a few hours. The drink can also be placed in the refrigerator. You can gradually try the tea to determine when it best suits your tastes.

Tea packaging preview

We pack our teas in a strong, zip-lock aluminum packet which allows you to easily re-seal its contents. This container protects the quality of the tea against humidity, light or foreign odors, all of which could noticeably affect the quality of the brew.