KOTARO
$11 – $14
First harvest tea (2021)
Description
This high-grade organic fukamushi tamaryokucha comes from the first harvest of the year in May but its leaves are plucked later than for its ‘elder brother’, KOJI, and are therefore more mature.
We enjoy the fruity and sweet aroma that greets you as soon as you open the bag. A blend of yabukita and several other cultivars, KOTARO is a tea that you can drink throughout the day thanks to its low caffeine levels.
Once brewed, this tamaryokucha is sweet, with no bitterness, and packed with aroma. Its umami is subtle but unmistakable and leaves a full and round feeling in your mouth. Ready in less than a minute with 80C-degree water, KOTARO is very easy and quick to prepare.
Producer
Origin
100% Japanese green tea from Oita
Quality and Type
High-grade Tamaryokucha
Organic
Yes
Tasting Notes
Packing
Resealable vacuum bag, or aluminium bag with neutral gaz for best preservation.
Conservation
Unopened
1 year
Opened
6 weeks
Preparation
Tea quantity
8g /0.28oz
Water quantity
200ml /6.76oz
Temperature
80C / 176F
Brewing time
30 seconds
Reviews
Reviews
Only logged in customers who have purchased this product may leave a review.
Tasting Guide
sweetness
A sweet-tasting tea is a very light tea that leaves a sensation of natural sweetness in the mouth.
UMami
Although there is no official translation of the word “umami”, some call it “savory taste”: it leaves a mild and lasting pleasant brothy after taste and is recognized as one of the five basic tastes (together with sweetness, sourness, bitterness, and saltiness). It also induces salivation and a furriness sensation on the tongue, stimulating the throat, the roof and the back of the mouth.
BITTERNESS
The natural bitterness of green tea comes from the way it is made. Unlike black and oolong teas, green teas are made from the unfermented leaves of the tea plant, which keeps the antioxidants intact, but also gives them the bitter taste. This bitterness can be regulated with the water temperature : the higher the more bitter and vice-versa.
CAFFEINE
Caffeine is a naturally-occurring stimulant, found in several plants. Caffeine is water soluble, and is extracted into the brewed cup when preparing tea. In most cases, tea has much less caffeine than coffee.
CATECHINS
Catechins are a type of polyphenol (EGCG) and are the main astringency component in green tea, long known as tannins. In order to release more catechins you will need higher brewing temperature at around 80 but this will also increase the astringency and bitterness of your tea because of the caffeine. Dont use such temperatures for Gyokuro.
THEANINE
L-theanine (here referred to as theanine) is an amino acid that has a relaxing, but not sedating, effect. It is renowned for its ability to put you in the ideal state of calm attentiveness. It can sharpen focus, while reducing stress and enhancing overall well-being. Theanine can interact with caffeine, allowing a smaller dose of caffeine to have a stronger effect in terms of boosting concentration and alertness.
ASTRINGENCY
L-theanine (here referred to as theanine) is an amino acid that has a relaxing, but not sedating, effect. It is renowned for its ability to put you in the ideal state of calm attentiveness. It can sharpen focus, while reducing stress and enhancing overall well-being. Theanine can interact with caffeine, allowing a smaller dose of caffeine to have a stronger effect in terms of boosting concentration and alertness.
Related Products
Related products
KOTARO
$11 – $14
First harvest tea (2021)
Description
This high-grade organic fukamushi tamaryokucha comes from the first harvest of the year in May but its leaves are plucked later than for its ‘elder brother’, KOJI, and are therefore more mature.
We enjoy the fruity and sweet aroma that greets you as soon as you open the bag. A blend of yabukita and several other cultivars, KOTARO is a tea that you can drink throughout the day thanks to its low caffeine levels.
Once brewed, this tamaryokucha is sweet, with no bitterness, and packed with aroma. Its umami is subtle but unmistakable and leaves a full and round feeling in your mouth. Ready in less than a minute with 80C-degree water, KOTARO is very easy and quick to prepare.
Producer
Origin
100% Japanese green tea from Oita
Quality and Type
High-grade Tamaryokucha
Organic
Yes
Tasting Notes
Packing
Resealable vacuum bag, or aluminium bag with neutral gaz for best preservation.
Conservation
Unopened
1 year
Opened
6 weeks
Preparation
Tea quantity
8g /0.28oz
Water quantity
200ml /6.76oz
Temperature
80C / 176F
Brewing time
30 seconds
what is matcha ?
Matcha (抹茶) is a fine powdered green tea made from tencha leaves (shaded leaves) that benefits from high theanine contents. Matcha combines an elegant aroma and sweetness, and brings a pleasant state of relaxation to both body and mind. Because the leaf powder is dissolved in hot water, all of the tea nutrients are ingested, including those that are not water-soluble (vitamin A, protein, vitamin E, minerals, dietary fibers).
In Japan, matcha is enjoyed during the Tea Ceremony, according to the Sado principles. Even if you are no specialist, to prepare your daily matcha, you will need several key accessories, such as a chawan (matcha bowl), chashaku (bamboo scoop), a chasen (matcha whisk) and a kusenaoshi (chasen holder). Since 2021, our shop includes handmade chasen made in Takayama, Nara prefecture, with 100% Japanese bamboo. Feel free to browse our tea accessories section to complete or start your collection.
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"Tea is nought but this: first you heat the water,
then you make the tea.
Then you drink it properly.
That is all you need to know."
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iriska2903 (verified owner) –
Absolutely incredible. Fragrant, very favourful, and very good for multiple infusions.
Andysworld2020 (verified owner) –
An incredible tea, just perfectly balanced enough to make you try to remember the taste and come back for more.
A sure fire winner, especially if like me you are a Tamaryokucha fan!
Dave H. (verified owner) –
I am new to Tamaryokucha teas, and this one was a good entry for me. It has a lovely balance of flavors, and it stands up to multiple infusions with no trace of bitterness.