YAMABUKI NADESHIKO 山吹撫子

ETT HISTORISKT OCH HÄLSOSAMT TE

The japanese have created a new kind of tea with a manufacturing process that reminds us a bit of Pu-Ehr teas processing.

By looking at its dry leaves It looks like a black tea composed of small leaves, a kind of BOP grade (broken orange pekoe), – a little large and irregular, – but overall quite “normal” tea. Nothing indicates that this tea is the result of long and delicate research and experiments conducted by Mr. Denbei Kawamura, famous for his essential and decisive work on the yeasts in Sake and also known as the “Father of Shizuoka Yeast.”

Kawamura’s main idea is to apply and to adapt the Japanese technology and processing of Sake fermentation to tea and to create a new product, fruit of a masterly collaboration between scientists and tea producers.

It is in Shizuoka, in a tea garden, which do not use pesticides or herbicides, on the slopes of the Hurano mountain where an organic tea is harvested in June that the meeting between the two worlds, tea and sake starts. 

BELOW ARE THE MAIN STAGES OF NADESHIKO TEA MANUFACTURING: 

The tea follows an unusual series of transformation techniques… withering, rolling, and kneading. Then, in a completely sterilized and controlled environment, clean and safe for tea, the leaves of a completed finished green tea – Yabukita cultivar – are sterilized, then moisten before inoculating them with a black microscopic fungus, Kuro-Koji-kin or black Aspergillus Oryza. Following the fermentation process, the tea will then be stabilized by drying and final sorting.

Aspergillus Oryzae is a microscopic fungus – which belongs to what in France is referred to as “noble rot”, close to the Penicillium (one of the essential component of blue cheeses).

The microbioal fermentation process begins. A lot of manufacturing secrets emcopass this innovative process where every stage is thoroughly and scientifically controlled.

Opposite to Pu-Ehr teas, another naturally fermented type of tea, the Nadeshiko fermentation time is quite short, depending on the evolution of the yeast. Moreover, and unlike Pu-Ehr teas, Nadeshiko tea will not further age nor improve with time.

WHAT DOES THIS TEA BRING?

In essence, an unusual taste in Japanese teas. This organic tea is a flight between a light touch of liquorice wood, hints of caramel, compote, malty, and grilled notes, all expressed in a very mild aroma and clear, smooth liquor and has beautiful ruby hue. All the musty odor of Pu Ehr tea is completely removed, while enhancing all favourable character of fermented dark tea.

A Japanese tea with an intriguing taste, Nadeshiko is easy to drink, smooth and pleasant; it can be drank in the morning and all day long. A delightful liquor without bitterness.

In order to differentiate Nadeshiko from the other fermented teas, the producer invented a new category he called ”pink tea”. He is the only one to use that terminology, unknown in the world of tea.

The result: A tea with a very distinct flavour profile, closer to a black tea than a Pu-Ehr. 

SÅ HÄR BRYGGER DU YAMABUKI NADESHIKO

Tea: 2 g
Water: 180 ml
Temp: 100°C
Steep time: 1 min (infusions: 3 +)

Daytime / Low theine

SKÖRDETEKNIK & TILLVERKNING

Grade: BOP (broken orange pekoe)
Harvesting period: Harvest in June
Harvesting technique: Hand picking
Manufacturing process: Picking, withering, rolling, kneading, sterilized, moisten, fermented, drying, final sorting, packaging

FERMENTERAT TE

EKOLOGISKT TE