Aso Black
Lightly fermented. Smoky aroma, sublimely sweet.
How about a nice change of pace? Aso Black is black tea
(kocha, or "crimson tea" in Japanese) made from the leaves of
green tea varietals grown in the pristine foothills of Mt. Aso. Gently
harvested leaves are only lightly fermented
compared to conventional black tea, for a sweetness not found in ordinary black teas.
Artisan: Koji Nagata
Origin: Aso City, Kumamoto, Japan
100g loose leaf tea
$18.95
Aso Black™ is a special presence in the world of tea -
a black tea made with leaves from the same green-tea
cultivars used to make traditional sencha.
The flavor is brisk and clean, with a green-tea-like
sweetness and a smoky, nutty taste, finishing with overtones of nutmeg.
If you like, say, English breakfast tea, you will be positively
enchanted by this tea. So order up some scones and brew up a pot of Aso Black.
Packaging:
Aso Black 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.
Packaging:
Aso Black 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.
