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derk drank Black tea from Iwata, Benihikari cultivar, 1st flush by Thés du Japon

1624 tasting notes

April 28th, 2021 harvest, grown without pesticides

Second time this has happened in the middle of typing a glowing review of this tea — backspaced myself out of the pop-up window and lost it all.

In my frustration, I feel like I need some closure so I’m posting a little bit for now:

What a gorgeous Japanese black tea! It blows away all past encounters with Japanese blacks, all of which deeply offended my stomach. This leaf is so clean and pure.

I’ll come back with a full review later after typing it up in another platform :P

Flavors: Camphor, Caramel, Cinnamon, Floral, Geranium, Ginger, Mineral, Orange, Orange Zest, Pine, Rose, Spicy, Squash, Tangy, Vanilla, Wood

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18 likes

3 comments

Martin Bednář
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Won’t lie, Japanese blacks seens to be often pure gems. But so hard to get.

Courtney
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I haven’t ever tried a Japanese black — now I must add to the wishlist!

Leafhopper
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LOL, I picked the other two Iwata black teas on that site. Let me know what you’re thinking of ordering.

People who liked this

Comments

Martin Bednář
Delete

Won’t lie, Japanese blacks seens to be often pure gems. But so hard to get.

Courtney
Delete

I haven’t ever tried a Japanese black — now I must add to the wishlist!

Leafhopper
Delete

LOL, I picked the other two Iwata black teas on that site. Let me know what you’re thinking of ordering.

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Bio

This place, like the rest of the internet, is dead and overrun with bots. Yet I persist.

Eventual tea farmer. If you are a tea grower, want to grow your own plants or are simply curious, please follow me so we can chat.

I most enjoy loose-leaf, unflavored teas and tisanes. Teabags have their place. Some of my favorite teas have a profound effect on mind and body rather than having a specific flavor profile.

Favorite teas generally come from China (all provinces), Taiwan, India (Nilgiri and Manipur). Frequently enjoyed though less sipped are teas from Georgia, Japan, and Nepal. While I’m not actively on the hunt, a goal of mine is to try tea from every country that makes it available to the North American market. This is to gain a vague understanding of how Camellia sinensis performs in different climates. I realize that borders are arbitrary and some countries are huge with many climates and tea-growing regions.

I’m convinced European countries make the best herbal teas.

Personal Rating Scale:

100-90: A tea I can lose myself into. Something about it makes me slow down and appreciate not only the tea but all of life or a moment in time. If it’s a bagged or herbal tea, it’s of standout quality in comparison to similar items.

89-80: Fits my profile well enough to buy again.

79-70: Not a preferred tea. I might buy more or try a different harvest. Would gladly have a cup if offered.

69-60: Not necessarily a bad tea but one that I won’t buy again. Would have a cup if offered.

59-1: Lacking several elements, strangely clunky, possesses off flavor/aroma/texture or something about it makes me not want to finish.

Unrated: Haven’t made up my mind or some other reason. If it’s puerh, I likely think it needs more age.

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