Balance | 平和 - Tea Blend focusing on Kyoto Hojicha

Tea in Focus: Kyoto Hojicha 

Blending Ingredients: Dried jasmines flowers

In ancient Japan, tea leaves belong to the higher classes of society. The lower segments could only enjoy tea when the best spring tea leaves are harvested for the higher classes. This is nearing summer, and the tea leaves would have grown bigger and broader, not to mention thicker. Fine flavours are usually absent, whereas earthiness and harshness are the usual flavour profile. Sometimes, better grade teas were made available to them, when higher grade teas are rejected, or when the tea have become moist from poor storage, or were the unwanted parts from processing higher grade teas. In these cases, the teas are roasted dark to dry them, and to drive off undesired odors, or simply to rid the older and tougher leaves of earthy characters. Such teas become the Hojicha today, and it started as a commoner's beverage, just like the Kyobancha.

Our philosophy for tea blending is first to focus on the tea, and to use the creativity of blending to bring out stories and new flavours. We name them in an unusual manner to attempt to highlight certain philosophies or notions. This tea blend is named Balance because the bold and roasty character of Hojicha is well balanced by the soft and smooth notes from the Jasmine flowers.

The high firing during the processing of Hojicha removes the caffeine and it is thus suitable for kids and night drinking.

Jasmine is stress relieving, supports digestion, is calming and soothes sore throat. Aside from the enjoyment derived from the brew, this is a nutritional beverage, which could be enjoyed throughout the day.

Read more about our philosophy here.