Artisan's Reserve
A special selection of shaded and sun-grown leaves.
Artisan's Reserve™ is a special blend of hand-selected
fukamushi (deeply steamed) leaves, both shaded (
kabusecha) and sun-grown. The result is
stimulatingly complex flavor profile comprising a
road spectrum of tea flavors, from citrus overtones
and melon-like sweetness, with a slightly creamy texture.
Artisan: Koji Nagata
Origin: Aso City, Kumamoto, Japan
100g loose leaf tea
$20.95
To make Aristan's Reserve™, the grower-artisan carefully blends a selection of kabusecha (shaded tea) with a complementary choice of sun-grown leaves to craft a unique flavor experience not achievable with either type of tea alone — creamy, savory and, at the same time, sweetly herbaceous and hinting of melon and berry.
As with all artisinal Mellow Monk teas, the infusion's dynamic flavor profile changes from first steeping through third, as different flavor components are magnified or muted. By slightly varying steeping time or water temperature, you can enjoy almost limitless combinations of the flavors in this tea.
This sencha is a tamaryokucha ("curly green tea"), also known as guricha. The rich volcanic soils of the Mt. Aso foothills, where this tea is grown, make for an exquisitely rich flavor and a hearty aroma, but without the bite that comes from other soil types.
Packaging:
Artisan's Reserve comes vacuum-sealed for freshness in resealable, standup foil packets. Each packet contains 100 grams (3.5 ounces) of tea, enough to make 40-50 cups of brewed tea.
How to brew:
Use 1 teaspoon of tea leaves for an 8-ounce cup with strainer. If using a teapot, use 1 teaspoon of tea for a small teapot or 2 teaspoons for a family-size teapot.
The water temperature should be about 75 degrees Celsius (167 degrees Fahrenheit). If you don't have a thermometer, just heat the water until small bubbles begin to appear on the bottom of the pot, then remove from heat. (More on water temperature here.)
For the first steeping, let the tea brew for about 2 minutes. For the second and third steepings, let the tea brew for 30 seconds to 1 minute. After each steeping, be sure to remove the leaves from the water — if using a strainer — or pour out all tea from the teapot.
As with all artisinal Mellow Monk teas, the infusion's dynamic flavor profile changes from first steeping through third, as different flavor components are magnified or muted. By slightly varying steeping time or water temperature, you can enjoy almost limitless combinations of the flavors in this tea.
This sencha is a tamaryokucha ("curly green tea"), also known as guricha. The rich volcanic soils of the Mt. Aso foothills, where this tea is grown, make for an exquisitely rich flavor and a hearty aroma, but without the bite that comes from other soil types.
Packaging:
Artisan's Reserve comes vacuum-sealed for freshness in resealable, standup foil packets. Each packet contains 100 grams (3.5 ounces) of tea, enough to make 40-50 cups of brewed tea.
How to brew:
Use 1 teaspoon of tea leaves for an 8-ounce cup with strainer. If using a teapot, use 1 teaspoon of tea for a small teapot or 2 teaspoons for a family-size teapot.
The water temperature should be about 75 degrees Celsius (167 degrees Fahrenheit). If you don't have a thermometer, just heat the water until small bubbles begin to appear on the bottom of the pot, then remove from heat. (More on water temperature here.)
For the first steeping, let the tea brew for about 2 minutes. For the second and third steepings, let the tea brew for 30 seconds to 1 minute. After each steeping, be sure to remove the leaves from the water — if using a strainer — or pour out all tea from the teapot.
