Takahashi’s Oolong “Koju”

This Koju Oolong is crafted by the Takahashi's, a father and son duo whose family has farmed tea for 3 generations. They started making sencha, as most tea farmers in Shizuoka do, but 20 years ago the eldest son took an interest in oxidized teas like oolongs. He experimented with various processes for crafting oxidized teas, and has come to produce some of the rarest oolongs in Japan. Koju is the name of a varietal discovered by Mr. Takahashi himself. It is a hybrid cultivar of Inzatsu 131 (an exotic varietal brought to Japan from Manipur, India a century ago) and the Japanese varietal, Yabukita. Mr. Takahashi is currently the only person cultivating Koju in Japan, as he believes it to be particularly well suited for crafting as oolong.

After being harvested by hand, the Koju leaves wither in the sun for up to an hour. Then they are withered further, for around 10 hours, using a yōseiki (a withering and shaking machine). During this stage the tea leaves give off a wonderfully fragrant aroma. Next, the leaves are quickly pan-fried, just long enough for them to become slightly crisp. After they are wrapped in cloth and gently steamed, softening them again.

It is very exciting to taste this rare varietal crafted using the oxidization techniques that Mr. Takahashi has developed. It tastes strikingly floral, reminiscent of Taiwanese Oolongs, with saline and pungent white flower notes. This florality, combined with its hydrating mouthfeel, makes it feel somewhat like a bruised gyokuro. In the gaiwan you will see the reanimated Koju leaves: their robust veins, hand-cut shape, and lightly oxidized surface. It stands in a category of its own.