BENIFUUKI KOUCHA 50g

Product detailed description

• Style: Wakoucha – black tea
• Cultivar: Benifuuki
• Altitude: 300–400 m
• Stimulation effect: high

Precisely crafted Japanese black tea (koucha) from a natural garden in Shimizu, Shizuoka Prefecture.

The Benifuuki cultivar was created by crossing the Indian Darjeeling tea variety with the Japanese cultivar Benihomare – the first black tea cultivar bred on Japanese soil. Thanks to its propensity for oxidation, it is excellently suited for producing black and oolong teas. It also caught the attention of Japanese tea enthusiasts through scientific studies linking Benifuuki consumption to the suppression of seasonal allergies, due to its elevated catechin content (EGCG and EGCG3). Green tea from Benifuuki thus became a sensation, and we bring you its lesser-known but all the more delicious side: black tea koucha.

The infusion has a clear, rich reddish-brown color and a distinct aroma combining notes of lemon, flowers, and spices. The taste is sweet to honey-like, with a gentle sweetness that coats the tongue and lingers long, complemented by noticeable umami and a mild astringency that gives the tea a fresh, refreshing finish. The roasted aroma pleasantly recalls the finest grades of Chinese Keemun teas.

The sweetest koucha in our range, evoking a fireside sit by a crackling hearth while cold rain falls outside. Its fruity aftertaste makes it an ideal companion to Western desserts, preferably tartlets or buttery pastries.

The annual production of this tea is only 200 kg, so you truly hold a rare gem in your hands.

You can read about the turbulent history of koucha here

Brewing

Ideal for a kyusu teapot

100 ml / 2g     85 / 90 °C     90 / 40 sec

For this koucha, I recommend using high-quality filtered water at a lower temperature than usually stated. This will bring out the honeyed and sweet notes.

Packaged in 50 g portions in Japan in original packaging to preserve maximum quality.