Hokusan Tea

Gongfu!

Definitely the nicest wakocha I’ve tried, and for sure in the top five Japanese black teas. Maybe even top three. Medium to full-bodied with a syrupy aroma of cherry blossoms, marzipan, and poppy macarons like I buy for the Jean Talon market here in the summer. The taste is pretty sweet too with a pleasant split between nuttier notes of almond and pecans alongside notes of sakura, poppy, and darkly sweet honey. The undertones are rich, slightly spicy and just a bit woody – making me think of the almost red brown colour of mahogany, which the liquor itself it reminiscent of too! Such a beautiful tea experience!

Tea Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/DF6KUWayhql/?img_index=1

Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a30UbRPv3fw&ab_channel=ThatWoman

Gongfu!

I’ve been fortunate enough to taste more than a handful of Japanese black teas, and I have to say this is definitely the most fruity I’ve crossed paths with. I love how the deep red liquor almost seems to mirror the pungent notes of waxy ripe red fruits and plums that make up the body of each sip. Additionally, there’s a welcome touch of bitterness and astringency to this medium to full-bodied brew, both of which lean into the finishing notes of dark chocolate, leather, and exotic woods and incense. Great complexity!!

As so many of y’all know, I very rarely drink straight Japanese teas outside of Houjicha – so it’s probably not a surprise that I haven’t spent a whole lot of time really thinking about the unique challenges the Japanese tea industry is facing right now. However, hearing Rikko’s talk about sustainability and the Shizuoka Tea Auction was incredibly fascinating and eye-opening!! Drinking this really amazing tea has me thinking on it once more. If we want amazing teas like this one to continue to be available for the next generations to drink and enjoy, then sustainability of the industry can’t be something we push to the back of our minds. Very thankful that this tea and talk have re-emphasized that to me in new ways!

Tea Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/C23KyU-uIGf/?img_index=1

Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqQPDaRrIko