Tencha-Kuki Houjicha

Tea type
Green Tea
Ingredients
Not available
Flavors
Earth, Honey, Tobacco, Green, Hay, Roasted, Salty, Seaweed, Wood
Sold in
Not available
Caffeine
Not available
Certification
Not available
Edit tea info Last updated by bluebelle
Average preparation
200 °F / 93 °C 2 min, 15 sec 4 g 5 oz / 134 ml

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27 Tasting Notes View all

  • “So I’m looking at my notes from the last time I wrote about this tea. Apparently I wasn’t all that impressed with it. Well, things have changed because now I find it deliciously comforting. It’s...” Read full tasting note
    89
  • “This is my first Den’s Tea and I’m REALLY excited. I’ve been wanting to try Den’s for a while! Dry loose smells like gently toasted nuts or oats, even. The liquid post infusion is even more...” Read full tasting note
    93
  • “Sigh. I am going to fail in my quest tonight. But 4/8 isn’t too bad. (I realized after that there are two teas I haven’t tried from Amanda, so that one didn’t count. Sigh.) I guess I’ll get to the...” Read full tasting note
    87
  • “I really love this one. It’s nutty and roasty but there’s an underlying sweetness that mellows out the whole cup. I wanted to warm up after being outside (2*F air temperature) and this was the...” Read full tasting note
    95

From Den's Tea

It is made with only the stems of high quality Tencha. The stems are lightly roasted to bring out their natural flavor. It is rare tea even in Japan and only sold at Den’s Tea in North America.

Origin: Nisho, Aichi
Harvest: First Flush
Species: Yabukita

Tasting Profile:
Unique flavor that is elegantly smoky like aromatic wood and naturally sweet like honey.

Den’s Preferred Brewing:
Water: 4oz boiled
Leaves: 2 grams or 1 rounded teaspoon
Steep: 120 sec
2nd Cup: Water Boiled; Steep 30 sec

About Den's Tea View company

Company description not available.

27 Tasting Notes

98
335 tasting notes

I got this tea on a whim, and also after reading the reviews. I have had all kinds of kukicha. Some I either hate or like. This is one I will love. When I opened the bag, I didn’t think it smelled like anything special. I thought it would just taste like another houjicha. Well it sure surprised me.

It has such an distinctive taste I never had in a tea. Savory, earthy, unami. I like the idea another one had to make potato chip flavored with this! I might have to grind some in my spice grinder mixed with salt and sprinkle on steak. I could see this tea as a spice, it’s that original and good!

I will update when I cook with it….but I am still going to drink this stuff. YUM!

Preparation
Boiling 1 min, 30 sec

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100
99 tasting notes

OM NOM NOM. This is what I think every time I open this tea up and smell it. It smells soooo good. If it were nom-able, I would totally just nom it.

I think they should make Tencha-Kuki Houjicha potato chips. They probably do make snacks that taste like this in Japan. Maybe that’s why I want to nom it so bad, lol.

I’m sooo hungry, and to prevent myself from going down to the vending machine and getting junk food, I decided to have some of this. It was a very tasty decision.

I did end up making this a bit stronger than I had it the last time, but that’s not a bad thing. And it hasn’t made it any better. It’s just as awesome as before. :)

And now I’m thinking I shoulda had this with the sushi I ate for lunch yesterday! It would have gone awesomely together. Oh well. Next time!! :)

Preparation
190 °F / 87 °C 1 min, 0 sec

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82
46 tasting notes

One of my favorite things about this tea is how easy it is to brew. As it says on the back of my pouch, it can be “brewed casually”, which means that I don’t have to worry about water temperatures and exact steeping times. That’s nice for the morning, when I’m too groggy to worry about stuff like that.

I have nothing to add to the description of the taste. The other reviews have already covered it well! It’s just delicious.

Preparation
Boiling 2 min, 0 sec

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80
1271 tasting notes

This houjicha can change profile depending how aggressive you steep it. Lower leaf (3grams 5oz) I got something lightly roasted, corny and sweet. Steep it 6grams and its rich, more roasty, and tastes bready like an unsalted pretzel. Feel free to go boiling water with this green and oversteep. It doesn’t get too dry other than a bit of a squeaky popcorn texture.

Full review on Oolong Owl http://oolongowl.com/tencha-kuki-houjicha/

Preparation
Boiling 6 g 5 OZ / 147 ML

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96
7 tasting notes

I’m trying this tea now for the first time, and I’m really enjoying a lot about it’s flavor and delicate composition.

There certainly is an aromatic quality, almost like a cedar wood or a pine wood, both in the aroma and the tasting. Perhaps I didn’t leave it to infuse for long enough, but it’s not as strong as I expected, or maybe it’s still too hot to tell. This tea is made from tencha stems, and therefore takes longer to break down fibers, bring out theanines and release catechins. I guess this caused me a little impatience, but none the less, I am really happy with this first tasting.

TWO MINUTES LATER: Once it cools down, the flavors are clear and concise. The honey and smoky qualities are just wonderful, and do come across as said on the package. So nicely balanced and delicious…yum!

I love Den’s Teas so I will keep this in mind as a new favorite certainly. The brew is also pretty to watch – it leaves a nice bamboo, wood tile effect on the surface of the pot and the aromas of the fresh leaves and of the brewing are just divine. It’s a nice contrast to the usual eruption and bloom of tea leaves that one gets used to.

I recommend this tea to those who are looking for something different, something sweet but very nicely balanced. Excellent craftsmanship as always, Den’s Tea!

ありがとうございます!

Flavors: Earth, Honey, Roasted, Wood

Preparation
Boiling 2 min, 15 sec

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