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Cameron B. drank Dobashien No. 06: Karigane Leaf Stems - Sakura by Yunomi

4161 tasting notes

As much as I want to tear into my long-awaited Lupicia order that just arrived, I’m telling myself that I need to try these Yunomi teas first, just in case the bonus points for reviews ends today or something. So, time for karigane! Karigane is basically just a premium version of kukicha (stem tea), meaning it’s made with either gyokuro or premium sencha stems. Visually, this tea is quite striking. The stems are long and thin like blades of grass, and range in color from very pale yellow-green to dark hunter green. The contrast of the light and dark pieces is very beautiful. The stems smell amazingly sweet and vegetal.

The first thing I notice is that the steeped liquor is much paler than the sencha I’ve been drinking, and it’s completely clear. It smells amazingly creamy and sweet. The flavor is also much less intense than other Japanese greens, but still delicious. There’s a remarkable level of sweetness along with a mild vegetal taste that reminds me of spinach and edamame. This definitely has a thinner mouthfeel, and is more refreshing rather than fortifying like mostly Japanese greens. Delicious!

Subscription: https://yunomi.us/shop/9337/tea-discoveries-subscription/?ref=12

Flavors: Sweet, Vegetal

Preparation

175 °F / 79 °C 0 min, 45 sec 1 tsp 8 OZ / 236 ML

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2 comments

Skysamurai
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I just broke into mine from Lupicia!

Cameron B.
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I’ll definitely be having some of the caffeine-free ones later. :D

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Skysamurai
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I just broke into mine from Lupicia!

Cameron B.
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I’ll definitely be having some of the caffeine-free ones later. :D

Profile

Bio

Hi, I’m Cameron!

I’m a 30-something software engineer currently living in Austin, Texas with my husband and our two pugs, Gobo and Ume. I tend to cycle between my different hobbies, and they include piano, knitting, video games, board games, miniature painting, planners, bento, Korean skincare, and – of course – TEA! But really, what I’m best at is “collecting” hobby-related things… ;)

~ 2024 SIPDOWN CHALLENGE! ~
- November sipdowns: 13
- Total 2024 sipdowns: 156

I prefer my tea lukewarm or at room temperature and without milk or sugar. I steep Western style, and fluctuate between using big mugs or small teapots depending on the season.

I am always up for a swap! Just let me know if you’d like to try something in my cupboard.

Tea Preferences:
I enjoy both flavored and unflavored teas in many forms. These days, I drink mostly flavored teas, and I tend to gravitate most toward black, green, oolong, and herbal varieties. I do have a special fondness for straight Japanese green teas, however.

I do not sweeten my teas, and pre-sweetened teas are usually too sweet for me. I also do not enjoy stevia.

I tend to reach for fruitier flavors rather than desserty ones these days, but I do have favorites from both categories. Willing to try anything once! There are a few ingredients/flavors that aren’t generally my jam, such as coconut, rose, lavender, and chocolate flavoring. But I also have teas that I love with some of those things, too! :)

Favorite Companies:
3 Leaf
Bird & Blend
Dammann Frères
Harney & Sons
Kyoto Obubu Tea Farms
Lupicia
Old Barrel Tea Co
Simpson & Vail
Taiwan Tea Crafts
TeaVivre

Tea Rating Scale:
90-100: Outstanding! Permanent cupboard resident
80-89: Great – a possible staple
70-79: Good, but I wouldn’t buy it
60-69: It’s decent
50-59: Meh… I may or may not have finished the cup
40-49: Ick. Couldn’t finish it.
00-39: Repulsive, I spat it out

I will sometimes refrain from rating a tea if I feel I’m too biased due to my personal dislikes, or if I suspect the sample has been compromised by age or scent contamination.

Cupboard Spreadsheet:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ZEuKf1-ppR-VXajO4vV39zU1N3zjFJteEPAynqD2yl0/edit?usp=sharing