Wakoucha Yamanami

 The Yamanami cultivar was developed in Miyazaki in the '60s from seeds from Hubei, China.  Considered a kamairicha cultivar, with a rather fresh, stimulating character, you're very unlikely to see it grown anywhere but Kyushu and even more unlikely to see it processed as a black tea.  Small, green-black twisted leaves emit a luscious depth of dried fruit, root vegetable sweetness.  Once brewed, the leaves unfurl producing an orange liquor that coats the mouth with tastes of dried apricot, sweet potato and a pleasant astringency akin to cedar.

 Gokase is the premier region for the relatively rare, pan roasted green tea, kamairicha. It’s here, tucked in mountainous highlands of NW Miyazaki prefecture that Akira-san and family craft multi-award winning, JAS organic kamairicha, sannenbancha and black tea. 

 Miyazaki Sabou’s tea fields are found at a relatively higher altitude, around 650m, and, although located closer towards the tropical belt,  summer evenings are cooler and winters are cold.  This contrast hardens the plants, concentrating their essence much the same as harder conditions can enhance the flavour of wine grapes.

SPECIFICS

PREPARATION

3g	2 to 3 minutes
240ml	95℃ (203℉)

As with most of our teas, this tea can be steeped several times.  Second infusions are usually for about 2 minutes.  Third or fourth infusions require longer times of 3 to 4 minutes.  Please remember, these are guidelines to get you started and you may find your preference is to adjust them.