Hata Competition Grade Kabusecha "Asahi"
Origin: Hata Tea Farm from Wazuka (Kyoto)
Cultivar: Asahi
Shading time: 14 days
Elevation: 100 m
Harvest: May 2021 (First Flush), hand picked
Type of steaming: Asamushi (short steaming)
Ideal storing: After opening please use as soon as possible (maximum 3 months) and store in a cool, light-protected place.
Special features: This competition-grade Kabusecha was ranked 6th at this year's Kansai Tea Competition.
Weight: 30 g
・Steep duration：20 - 30 sec
・Steep duration：40 - 50 sec
・Steep duration：60 - 70 sec
We were at this year's Kansai Tea Competition (関西茶品評会 = Kansai Cha Hinpyoukai) and were lucky to be able to purchase this competition-grade Kabusecha to an affordable price.
Let me briefly explain the tea competitions in Japan: The two most important tea competitions are of course the national (全国茶品評会 = Zenkoku Cha Hinpyoukai) as well as the Kansai competition. The Kansai Competition is probably the most important competition for tea farmers from the regions of Kyoto, Shiga, Nara, Mie and Gifu.
The teas are judged by appearance, cup colour, aroma and taste. In the end, cup colour and appearance have rather less influence on the taste of the tea, which sometimes leads to good deals, especially in the midfield.
After the teas have been judged, the auction takes place. Only wholesalers from Japan are allowed to enter the auction, but we were lucky that a befriended wholesaler had taken us with him.
The auction will take place as follows: There is a room where all competitive teas are displayed and you have the possibility to inspect the teas (about two to four hours), but you cannot try the teas, you can only take them into your hand and smell them.
Then you have to determine the price / kg and write it on a piece of paper and put it in a box underneath the table. The one with the highest price wins the bid.
Because you have to determine the price only according to appearance and smell, there are of course "rivets" every now and then, because competition grade tea does not mean automatically that it really tastes good.
The taste of this Kabusecha cannot be compared to normal Senchas and Kabusechas: Incredibly sweet and strong Umami, actually this Kabusecha reminds more of a Gyokuro. The second infusion still has the sweetness and the umami, after the third infusion it slowly gets a Sencha-like aroma, which gets stronger from infusion to infusion. All in all extremely multifaceted, very fragrant and a real stroke of luck.
Cultivar: Asahi
Shading time: 14 days
Elevation: 100 m
Harvest: May 2021 (First Flush), hand picked
Type of steaming: Asamushi (short steaming)
Ideal storing: After opening please use as soon as possible (maximum 3 months) and store in a cool, light-protected place.
Special features: This competition-grade Kabusecha was ranked 6th at this year's Kansai Tea Competition.
Weight: 30 g
Steeping Method
First infusion:
・Amount of tea ：5 g
・Water temperature：about 40℃
・Water amount：about 50 ml
・Steep duration：90 - 120 sec
Second infusion:
・Steep duration：20 - 30 sec
Third infusion:
・Water temperature：about 50℃・Steep duration：40 - 50 sec
Fourth infusion:
・Water temperature：about 60℃・Steep duration：60 - 70 sec
We were at this year's Kansai Tea Competition (関西茶品評会 = Kansai Cha Hinpyoukai) and were lucky to be able to purchase this competition-grade Kabusecha to an affordable price.
Let me briefly explain the tea competitions in Japan: The two most important tea competitions are of course the national (全国茶品評会 = Zenkoku Cha Hinpyoukai) as well as the Kansai competition. The Kansai Competition is probably the most important competition for tea farmers from the regions of Kyoto, Shiga, Nara, Mie and Gifu.
The teas are judged by appearance, cup colour, aroma and taste. In the end, cup colour and appearance have rather less influence on the taste of the tea, which sometimes leads to good deals, especially in the midfield.
After the teas have been judged, the auction takes place. Only wholesalers from Japan are allowed to enter the auction, but we were lucky that a befriended wholesaler had taken us with him.
The auction will take place as follows: There is a room where all competitive teas are displayed and you have the possibility to inspect the teas (about two to four hours), but you cannot try the teas, you can only take them into your hand and smell them.
Because you have to determine the price only according to appearance and smell, there are of course "rivets" every now and then, because competition grade tea does not mean automatically that it really tastes good.
The taste of this Kabusecha cannot be compared to normal Senchas and Kabusechas: Incredibly sweet and strong Umami, actually this Kabusecha reminds more of a Gyokuro. The second infusion still has the sweetness and the umami, after the third infusion it slowly gets a Sencha-like aroma, which gets stronger from infusion to infusion. All in all extremely multifaceted, very fragrant and a real stroke of luck.
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