Began my session with this tea as a side by side cultivar comparison with the Tachiho cultivar oolong I got from my last Yunomi order. As soon as I began though, I realized how different they were and just drank them one by one. This one, the Minami Sayaka cultivar, is from summer 2021. From the jump the brew was a deeper gold color and developed into a soft gold till the end. There was a light roasty nuttiness on the top of the brew, giving it a distinct soba cha/hojicha flavor that reminded me where this was grown. The leaves were larger than the Tachiho as well. The floral note that wove itself in and out of the brew was wonderfully refreshing. I’m over the heavy florals of most green oolongs, but the light roast of this tea helps to mellow the bouquet in such a pleasant way.
Flavors: Straw, Toasted Rice, Wildflowers
