This competition winning Kabusecha (かぶせ茶) Saemidori (さえみどり) comes from the Nakata Tea Farm (両丹いきいきファーム) in Ayabe Village in northern Kyoto. It won Second Place in the Ministry of Agriculture Farming Division Manager Award (農林水産省農産局長賞) at the 2024 National Tea Competition. The Nakata Tea Farm is very well known among Japanese tea lovers as their teas consistently place at all levels of Japan’s tea competitions, including the National Competitions. The farm has won many awards over the years at all levels of Japan's tea competitions including the National level.

Kabusecha is a hybrid – not a sencha but also not a gyokuro. Gyokuro is shade covered for around 21 days, while kabusecha is only shade covered for around 7 days. The result is a hybrid of flavor profiles between sencha and gyokuro, offering a balanced flavor that is generally sweeter and more umami-rich than sencha but also less intense than gyokuro. For this award winning tea, sweet brothy notes of snow pea, star fruit, and limestone stand out while being balanced with a sparkly mouthfeel and a clean and refreshing finish.

Origin – Kyoto, Japan

Location – Nakata Tea Garden, Ayabe Village

Harvest - Spring 2024

Varietal - Saemidori

Tastes Like – Snow pea, Star Fruit, Limestone, Clean and Refreshing

Sold in one ounce increments