We have never carried a Japanese white tea before. In fact, after 20 yrs in the upper end of specialty tea, 2016 was the first year I had the privilege of trying it in the cup.
It was everything I had hoped it would be: rare, exceptional, unique in texture and a finish of stone fruit, spinach with hints of white pepper.
Picked from the early May flush of the Kanayamidori cultivar in Miyazaki Prefecture, these top 2 leaves contain a slender silky white bud. The perfection lies in the delicate picking and steaming of the small leaf set, allowing the herbaceous nuances of the fresh leaf to be locked in. Once immersed in hot water, they reveal their soft floral notes, while the delicate, yet intricate liquor delights the palate.