Organic Kyô-bancha

Kyô-bancha (also known as iribancha), which originated in the Uji region, is what we'd call a more "rustic" tea. Comprised of unrefined harvest (called aracha) the tea showcases large leaves of varying sizes and stems collected from pruning the tea plants (zero waste!).

Kyô-bancha's defining characteristic is in its roast! The tea is roasted for varying times and to different temperatures depending on the producer to extract different flavor characteristics (much like how different artisans roast coffee to showcase different flavors). Tea leaves grown for kyô-bancha or hojicha are grown in full sunlight, which results in a high concentration of the super-antioxidant catechin. Our producer's kyô-bancha is exquisitely chocolatey in aroma and exhibits a warm, satisfying earthy flavor similar to roasted chicory or cocoa nibs.

A favorite of our office as an all-day, everyday sipper due to its naturally low-caffeine content. We enjoy this tea both hot and iced.

Location: Wazuka

Harvest season: late March

Cultivar: Yabukita, mixed

Process: late-harvest, over-wintered leaves are steamed for an hour to halt oxidation. Then the leaves are dried for another hour (often by simply drying in the sun), and in a less-common step for Japanese teas, gently roasted for 10-15 minutes. The leaves are not rolled.