Sencha "Shiraori"

奥八女白折茶

Harvest
May 2023

Origin
Yame, Fukuoka

Shiraori is made primarily from stems that are separated from tea leaves during the production of sencha and gyokuro. “Shiraori” is synonymous with “karigane” or “Bocha,” other regional names for stem tea.

Shiraori is known for its innate sweetness and its refreshing aroma and aftertaste. This premium shiraori is made from the carefully selected stalks of the finest senchas and gyokuros from Kakuda, with only a limited amount produced each year.

The dried tea has a deep green and complex smell. Its flavour is wonderfully balanced, with floral notes suspended in a round and soft mouthfeel. The weight of the liquor increases in the second infusion, and in tandem, as does its structure. This shiraori takes us through a progression of pleasing greenness, amounting in an experience very refreshing to the senses.

Net weight 100g

. . .

Kakuda Seicha of Yame, Fukuoka

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 that can only be produced by the mountains.

Kakuda Seicha is a tea farming family in Kamyo-cho of Yame City in Fukuoka, 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. 

. . .

Brewing guide