Soba - Roasted Buckwheat

Tea type
Herbal Tea
Ingredients
Not available
Flavors
Caramelized Sugar, Chemical, Grain, Grassy, Nutty, Roasted Nuts, Popcorn, Rice, Roast Nuts, Toasty, Peanut, Sweet, Toasted, Cocoa, Roasted Barley, Roasted, Toasted Rice
Sold in
Loose Leaf
Caffeine
Not available
Certification
Not available
Edit tea info Last updated by hanshin767
Average preparation
Boiling 4 min, 45 sec 10 oz / 300 ml

From Our Community

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31 Want it Want it

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23 Own it Own it

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70 Tasting Notes View all

  • “I think I’m just in the mood for comforting teas tonight. This is soooo good!!! I still think it’s like drinking warm puffed wheat. A touch a sweetener, and a splash of milk and it’s like hot...” Read full tasting note
    94
  • “Sipdown!! (159) I am sad to see it go but I have more on the way plus, what better time to enjoy my beloved tea than watching GAME OF THRONES!!!” Read full tasting note
    100
  • “SO GOOD! I LOVE this tea. Not necessarily just the Harney version, but I love buckwheat tea in general. I brewed up a big 2 L pitcher of hot tea. It is a bit light tasting because I didn’t use...” Read full tasting note
    96
  • “So this tea is still in its probationary phase with me. And I’ve liked it, but I’m already pretty certain i won’t be restocking it. I’m also pretty certain that I’ll be doling out a lot of it to...” Read full tasting note

From Harney & Sons

Takashimaya was the best tea shop in New York for many years. They did a great job with teas from Japan and around the world (which we supplied.) One of Brigitte Harney’s favorite drinks was Soba. This is roasted buckwheat and is caffeine free. Its toasty flavor is a delight.

About Harney & Sons View company

Since 1983 Harney & Sons has been the source for fine teas. We travel the globe to find the best teas and accept only the exceptional. We put our years of experience to work to bring you the best Single-Estate teas, and blends beyond compare.

70 Tasting Notes

94
1040 tasting notes

I think I’m just in the mood for comforting teas tonight. This is soooo good!!! I still think it’s like drinking warm puffed wheat. A touch a sweetener, and a splash of milk and it’s like hot cereal in a mug. Devine….

Thanks ifjuly for sending me some of this wonderful tea.

Sil

i keep meaning to pick this one up heh

Dexter

I have more on the way in my shared Harney order. It is so good.

Sil

yep it’s like the one i found in china that we all liked so it’s on the list. However i REALLY need to keep my cupboard under control so i’m trying to refrain from any more purchases until i’m sure i can keep it under 150. I still need 17 teas to sipdown before i cover all the purchases i’ve made…and that doesn’t take into consideration the tea coming my way from a few people lol

Sil

(but i really really really want to place that order for theodor teas..)

Dexter

I don’t think I am going to be under 250 once all my BF stuff gets here…. Not buying ANYTHING until I get back to something reasonable like 150 ish….

Dexter

I think I’m going to put some chocolate chips in the second steep – chocolate puffed wheat cake…?

caile

Chocolate puffed wheat cake is so yummy!

Sil

Mmmmm

ifjuly

oooh, that sounds like an idea!

Dexter

Yep it works, all is right in my world….

yyz

Yum!

OMGsrsly

You can toast your own! I bought buckwheat/unroasted kasha to try. Of course, I haven’t managed to actually do it yet.

Stephanie

I make this at home with grains my husband buys for homebrewing :)

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100
6444 tasting notes

Sipdown!! (159)

I am sad to see it go but I have more on the way plus, what better time to enjoy my beloved tea than watching GAME OF THRONES!!!

TeaLady441

I hope to watch it later tonight!
(thrones, yeah…. thrones, yeah… game of thrones…)

__Morgana__

Yeah! Can’t wait for Joffrey’s wedding, it’s one of my favorite parts. And aren’t the dragons growing up nicely?

VariaTEA

Yeah, Joffrey’s wedding is most definitely something to look forward to. And the dragons are so great. I was sort of confused as to how they just switched the actor for Daario. It was pretty funny because all the girl’s watching noticed immediately but the guys were like “What? That isn’t the same guy?”

TeaLady441

Hahaha. BEST SONG.
Also I need to finish reading the books so I don’t get blindsighted by the next massacre…

__Morgana__

LOL re Daario. It’s been so long since I saw the last episode I guess I didn’t notice, but now that you mention it, I liked the way the previous Daario looked better.

VariaTEA

Cavo, my friends and I might sing it every time the theme song starts :P. And Morgana, I think both are attractive in their own right but the last one was pretty gorgeous which is why I think all the girls noticed :P

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96
871 tasting notes

SO GOOD!

I LOVE this tea. Not necessarily just the Harney version, but I love buckwheat tea in general.

I brewed up a big 2 L pitcher of hot tea. It is a bit light tasting because I didn’t use enough buckwheat. But it is still good. It is roasty and toasty. There is a sweet honey flavour without having to add anything.

I like to make a hot brew and half-puff the buckwheat, then I do a cold brew. I find it you try to do a cold brew straight away, it doesn’t steep as good.

Then I eat the evidence.

SO GOOD!

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 4 min, 0 sec
caile

lol (eating the evidence)!

VariaTEA

I really need to try some of this buckwheat tea. It sounds so strange to me but I just keep reading reviews of how great it is.

Dexter

It’s AMAZING – if you want some VariaTEA just send me a PM – I have a tin and willing to share. :))

Roswell Strange

(Seconded about wanting to try it but thinking it sounds odd)

Dexter

It reminds me of puffed wheat cereal…..

__Morgana__

Agreed, it sounds strange and interesting and I love the idea that you can eat your steep!

Fjellrev

Buckwheat tea sounds mightily intriguing.

Sil

Love this one :)

KateN

A friend told me a bout Tartary buckwheat tea, a different type that is grows in the high mountains, apparently has way more nutrition than common buckwheat. It was delicious! Roasted nutty aroma & a taste of cocoa. This site has lot of info on buckwheat – check it out www.mount-zen.com

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513 tasting notes

So this tea is still in its probationary phase with me. And I’ve liked it, but I’m already pretty certain i won’t be restocking it. I’m also pretty certain that I’ll be doling out a lot of it to you guys, so if anyone would like some, speak up. I don’t dislike it, but I also don’t like it enough to think I need to horde it or anything. I should have known better because I don’t tend to like things that are described as “roasty”, and that descriptor has come up in pretty much everyone’s tasting note. But then I heard that people were adding milk and sugar, and you know that’s my jam, so I was willing to give it a try. And I like it better than Genmaicha, which seems to be far more savoury.

So yes, probation continues, but the sharing also starts now.

I also followed that tea up with a lot of cotton candy and a south park episode. Mmm.

VariaTEA

Oh no. I am sorry you did not enjoy this all that much.

Sil

Happy to trade with you for some if you like darling! :) but not until I get back haha

keychange

LOL variaTea, it’s ok—I think I’m sending you some to try, right? Hopefully you like it better than i do. and sil, sure thing. It’s all yours.

Lala

I would be willing to take as much of this away from you as you want :) I LOVE this tea. If you want to swap send me a PM.

VariaTEA

Keychange, I think your plan was to send me some in the swap which I am quite excited about as I do really enjoy this tea!

keychange

Trust me guys, I have like four oz of this to send out, so there’s a lot of love to be had, soba-style. VariaTea, you’re getting some for sure, don’t worry :). between you, lala, and sil, it’ll all be gone :D. If I’m sending it out to three people, you’ll all have plenty…and then I can buy more tea! LOL

VariaTEA

Now I am afraid.

keychange

Be very afraid. There’s going to be soba cha buckwheat everywhere you look! This is what happens when I order like four oz of a tea that I’m pretty much guaranteed not to like. Yup. I’m smart. But yeah, get your soba-swim suit on!

VariaTEA

Hahaha. That would be a very interesting experience, swimming through soba :P

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86
14991 tasting notes

Apparently today is my day for looking at the teas that keychange sent my way :) I pulled this one out again tonight to enjoy while watching a movie with the other half. I think i was mostly interested in something that was more savoury that any of my fruitier herbals teas. I’m super glad that keychange didn’t like this one haha because it means that it got to come live with me. I don’t often look at placing orders with Harney because for some reason in my head, i want to buy tea from the actual shop. In part because canada shipping is stupid, but i have a tea mule, so i can always ignore that…i just haven’t been as driven to order from them. I want to smell the teas! or something. Either way, i’m happy this one came to live with me, tying me over for just a little longer before i feel compelled to order with harney…maybe it’ll give me time to plan a weekend get away to NY!

TheTeaFairy

Oh, this one is so nutty crunchy good! I have some on the way…yes I’m ashamed to admit that even with 315 in the cupboard, I placed an order with H&S. Will I ever learn, my darling Sil?

Cheri

This is one I really want to try. It just sounds amazing.

boychik

You should come before July. It’s miserable summer.

Sil

Cheri – it’s tasty!
Boychik – yeah I’ve been before in the summer.. Gross. I really like coming in the fall…

TeaLady441

Savoury eh? Interesting!

Sil

well… it’s not sweet..it’s like bread…so savoury maybe not the right word..

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612 tasting notes

After an emotional but then ultimately hopeful day we sat down to watch Le Plaisir as it was one of Kubrick’s favorite movies. Made a big pot of this for it. Husband loves it! He says it reminds him of mini-wheats (which he used to subsist on as a bachelor); for me it’s like toasty, roasty rice. Agree too that it’s kind of like the half-popped kernels of popcorn at the bottom of the bowl. Like a snack in a cup. Not sure if it was the tea or the emotional wind up and release or what, but I was sleepy as all get out after having this.

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 5 min, 0 sec

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91
53 tasting notes

I looooooove genmaicha, so when I saw the soba I thought, hmm… I wonder what this would be like paired with a green, oolong or white tea? So I took the plunge.

I wouldn’t drink this alone- it is not that kind of flavor for me. I’m going to use its toastiness to give new life to teas I’ve stopped drinking. First, I tried it with my new Harney & Sons Lung ching and I really like the results. Not like genmaicha, really, but obviously in the same category, adding a toasty, roasted dimension to a slightly sweet green tea. The soba doesn’t have the drama of toasted rice but subtlety doesn’t make it bad or uninteresting. I can’t wait to add it to some other teas in my collection.

I must say: I’m one of Harney & Sons’ new fans. I read up on them before buying from them and liked what I found- they are real tea experts who care about their product. I like the quality of the items I purchased- fresh and nicely packaged. Good job!

K S

If you aren’t following Ashmanra, you should. She is like a Harney Guru.

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1438 tasting notes

“Whoo this is an interesting smell. Whoa. I smell bread. It’s unsettling. Like, right when it comes out of the toaster before we put cashew butter. Unsettling. This is bread. It’s fine. It’s fine to drink, but I don’t know about the scent.” – Alexa

In case you guys didn’t know, I really enjoy Soba Cha. Perhaps she wasn’t ready for this type of tea. I made the evidently fatal error of thinking she had tried genmaicha before.

I find this one comforting and delicious. Whenever I get around to another H&S order, this will be part of it.

Thanks for the sample VariaTea!

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75
618 tasting notes

I came home from work today and I felt like I needed a cup of tea. I made a bit of Harney & Son’s Tower of London Blend (Review on that one later) and then felt like having another. This tea smelled like strong wheat – very rich, roasted and hearty grains. The taste isn’t very different from the smell. It’s a starchy kind of tea with a whole bunch of toasty flavor. What I dislike is that there is very little dimension to the tea. It’s just relatively flat.. toasty, almost like bread.. but not the good kind. I think this would be good if you paired it with some kind of food. On its own, I’m not impressed and a bit underwhelmed. Soba Cha isn’t necessarily BAD, it’s just uneventful for me.

Infusin_Susan

I agree this is the kind of tea that tastes best when accompanied by food. I’ve had it many times at Korean restaurants, and it goes well with kimchi and spicy noodles, but I’m not sure if I’d want to drink it by itself. I didn’t know Harney’s made a version of it…interesting!

Hamada Kaido

i first had this with noodles in tokyo but i also love it on its own. more of an acquired taste in that sense i guess. i like the nutty flavor but i also like coffee so it depends.

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88
4164 tasting notes

From Kawaii433 a while ago!  Thank you!  Roasted buckwheat!  Though the brew isn’t dark in color at all, there is almost like this sense there is a couple of drops of coffee hidden in the mug among the mostly toasty, nutty flavor.  It’s similar tasting to barley teas, but it’s a little different.  This is just a great flavor when you want to switch it up with a flavor that is completely different from drinking a string of rooibos teas night after night.  I definitely intend to always keep either some form of soba or barley tea around.
Steep #1 //  1 teaspoon for a full mug // 20 minutes after boiling // 2-3 minute steep
Steep #2 // just boiled // 15 minute steep

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