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Cameron B. drank Kiwi Fukuyu by Dammann Frères

3986 tasting notes

Sipdown! (31 | 378)

Another one from derk, thank you!

This has been on my wishlist for a while now, but I just haven’t gotten around to ordering it. Since Dammann only sells in 100g bags, I tend to restrict myself to only getting a few teas when I order from them, which doesn’t happen more than once a year. Plus this tea is quite a bit more expensive than usual, which probably deterred me a bit as well.

But my god, this tea is so good! You can smell the tantalizing fruity aroma immediately upon opening the package, and it just smells so juicy and intense that it makes my mouth water. And the taste is exactly the same! A juicy sweet-tart pow of fruity goodness over a bed of thick, buttery, slightly grassy sencha. Dammann uses a more conventional Chinese sencha for most of their flavored greens, but this has an actual Japanese sencha base and I’m loving it. It has a much deeper flavor, and a hint of savoriness to it that really adds a nice bit of dimension here.

The fruit though… I’m trying to decide what it reminds me of, because it’s not kiwi. I want to say a plum of some kind, maybe with some apricot as well? But not a fresh one, more of a concentrated and intense flavor, like those thick fruit leathers that come in bar form. I’m not sure what those are called, but hopefully you know what I’m talking about…

Anyway, this is definitely going on my to-order list for next time. Thanks derk! :)

Flavors: Apricot, Butter, Fruity, Grass, Juicy, Plum, Savory, Smooth, Stonefruit, Sweet, Tart, Thick, Umami

Preparation

175 °F / 79 °C 2 min, 0 sec 3 tsp 16 OZ / 473 ML

I Like This

15 likes

4 comments

LuckyMe
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Yum…this blend sounds scrumptious!

Cameron B.
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Sorry, I don’t have any left to share heh heh… But would definitely recommend it! The flavoring is fairly strong, but I know you’re used to cutting your flavored teas with straight teas anyway. :)

derk
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I still have plenty to share, LuckyMe. Happy to send a few brews’ worth if you’d like.

LuckyMe
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Thanks for the offer derk…would love to try a sample and maybe send you some too!

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Comments

LuckyMe
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Yum…this blend sounds scrumptious!

Cameron B.
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derk
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I still have plenty to share, LuckyMe. Happy to send a few brews’ worth if you’d like.

LuckyMe
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Thanks for the offer derk…would love to try a sample and maybe send you some too!

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, KBeauty, and – of course – TEA! But really, what I’m best at is “collecting” hobby-related things… ;)

~ 2024 SIPDOWN CHALLENGE! ~
- January Sipdowns: 6
- Total 2024 Sipdowns: 6

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. Occasionally I’ll brew Gongfu style when I’m in the mood. I’ll also often use a kyusu for Japanese teas.

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 also enjoy maté, rooibos, and honeybush. I love matcha and drink it often! Fruit tisanes are not a favorite, but I’m always willing to try them.

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

Fruit: All of them! My ‘go-to’s tend to be in the red fruits, stonefruit, or citrus spectra. I also really love apple, banana, berry, fig, lychee, melon, pear, and rhubarb flavors. Tropical fruits aren’t among my favorites, but I still enjoy them once in a while – especially passionfruit, mango, and pineapple. I am not generally a fan of coconut in tea, though there are some exceptions.

Dessert: I love creamy vanilla and marshmallow flavors, along with anything in the caramel family such as butterscotch, toffee, or maple. Chocolate is also a favorite, though I’m often disappointed by it in tea. And don’t forget anything buttery, cakey, or cookie-y!

Floral: I’m a little bit more particular in this category. I very much enjoy jasmine, even strong jasmine, along with sakura, chamomile, and elderflower. Osmanthus is also a favorite of mine. But I’m not crazy about rose or lavender flavors, and I prefer hibiscus in moderation only.

Spices: I don’t generally find myself drawn to masala chai, but I do enjoy spices combined with other flavors. My favorite spices are the warm ones, especially cinnamon, nutmeg, anise, and cardamom. A bit of heat from black pepper or chili is okay too, as long as it’s not overwhelming! Ginger can be a lovely accent, but I find it difficult to drink as a starring flavor.

Aromatics: I’m obsessed with Earl Grey! I also love cooling flavors such as mint (especially spearmint), pine, juniper, and eucalyptus. I am not a fan of strong rosemary or sage in tea.

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