燻製紅茶 (Sakura Wood Smoked Black Tea)

Description

The dry leaves have a smoky aroma with a faint floral hint of sakura (cherry blossoms).

Matsumoto-san is pioneering smoked teas in Japan and it has been fascinating to experience the unique characteristics that result from wood smoke. He received the Silver Medal Winner of the 2014 International Tea Tasting Competition.

Matsumoto-san smokes his black tea using the wood from Japanese whisky barrels. No flavorings or additives used. It gives the deep red infusion has a heady aroma of smoke with a faintly sweet note of sakura.  The taste is smoky, though not overpoweringly so, mildy astringent and mouth-watering with the same faint notes of sakura. The smokiness of the tea is light, not overwhelming like a lapsang souchong, and has been described by reviewers with notes of “oak”, “smoked salmon”, “plum”.

The wood comes from the award winning Ichiro Distillery in Chichibu, Tokyo, Japan.

Brewing Guide

Steeping: 3 min

Water Temperature: 97 °C

Brewing Ratio: 3 grams for 200 ml water

カネロク松本園

World Agricultural heritage, Shizuoka’s tea grass farming method top ranked certification. It is a small farmer who continues cultivation and production of tea by traditional farming method in Shimada-shi, Shizuoka prefecture.