Yame Sencha “Yamakiri”

The mountainous part of the Yame region is called Oku-Yame. Its elevation and inverted climate means it is prone to fog, which acts like a veil over the tea fields that grow there. This natural protection causes the tea plants to store nutrients in their leaves, eventually resulting in a tea rich in an umami flavor.

Kakuda Seicha is from a tea farming family in Kamyo-cho of Yame City in Oku-yame. Three generations previous to him, his ancestors built a small tea factory with the intention of producing genuine Oku-Yame tea that reflects the virtues of this mountainous terroir. Kakuda's relationship with this region, and the practice of farming and crafting tea there, runs very deep.

This elegant sencha combines the dashi-like flavor and richness that teas from the Yame region are known for with Kakuda Seicha's signature preference for mellowness. The dried leaves have an earthy, roasted smell, and brew a champagne coloured liquor that feels oxygenated and fresh. There are woodsy notes in this sencha that we find somewhat onsen-like. Its buttery mouthfeel, akin to gyokuro, comes softly, with no astringency. This is a very gentle and generous sencha with lingering floral notes that leave us smiling.