This is the first houjicha I’ve been able to say emphatically that I like. I am always intrigued by the roastiness but sometimes put off a little by how intense it is. This kukicha is very roasty, toasty, and earthy without tasting like dirt. It had a nice sweetness and mildness, even after a three-minute preliminary steep as suggested. I’ve decided what this tastes like is when you’re eating a walnut and some of the inner shell lining is still stuck to it. You know? It’s nutty and with a touch of that woody nut shell taste, but sweeter. I got a second infusion before spilling the leaves all over the sink, and it was much milder and even sweeter. I’ll have to try the Den’s version of this some time.
Houji Kukicha
Green Tea by Stratford Tea Leaves
Origin Shizouka, Japan
Houji Kukicha offers an elegant roasted aroma with unique natural sweetness from the stems. It is very high in calcium and will help keep your blood alkaline.
Kukicha brews a clear medium brown liquid, but it is still considered a green tea. Kukicha is produced by roasting twigs left over from the sencha production over high heat. The result is a savoury tea with a refreshing, roasted taste and virtually no bitterness. It contains no caffeine.
