Qatsi Olive Yabukita Houjicha

This is a fantastic lightly roasted houjicha from Oizumi who makes a first flush premium style. Its common throughout Japan to find second or even third flush houjicha, often sometimes treated as a bit of an afterthought, and not made with premium tea leaves. However this fantastic yabukita is just such a fresh style, bursting with character. 

The appearance is a lovely golden brown. There's an extremely strong classic houjicha aroma omitting from this tea. You've got spices, cloves and cinnamon, a luscious nutty hazelnut aroma and even a whiff of dried oregano. The light roast of the houjicha is reminiscent of coffee, just that little bit of bitterness shining through. Definitely a fresher style of houjicha. 

The tea factory at Dokodemosora is so old school. There are no fancy computers zapping stems from tea leaves (these machines exist), instead all the machinery is beautifully old and loved. As a result, the teas have a rustic charm to them. This is shown by the fact there are some stems found in this houjicha, which actually add a lovely oaky tannin. Really rounding out the tea. Cracking houjicha from Oizumi. - Qatsi 

Similar: Japan, Non Alcoholic, Qatsi, Tea