,Takarabako Organic Shimane Aged Black Tea 2015 is a very interesting Japanese tea from a farm determined to offer unique drinking experience.
I have to thank Yunomi one more time for giving me a chance to try all these amazing Japanese teas. Yunomi did a big step in introducing Japanese teas to the West, especially by offering those that are rare, unique and impossible to find in any other online tea shop. This is the third Takarabako Tea Farm tea that I have tried and I loved all of them. Takarabako Tea Farm offers aged black teas, sencha teas and the most unique oolong tea I have ever tried. That said, let’s move on to our tea of the day: Takarabako Organic Shimane Aged Black Tea 2015
Name: Takarabako Organic Shimane Aged Black Tea 2015 Vintage
Tea Producer: Takarabako Tea Farm (Japan)
Vendor: Yunomi (Japan)
Type: Japanese black tea, aged
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The Aging Experiment
With leaves cut in small pieces and a few stalks among them, this tea looks more like black tencha than your regular black tea. But then again, Takarabako Organic Shimane aged black tea 2015 should be far from ordinary in all possible ways. Color is very interesting, dark reddish brown, giving it a truly aged appearance as well. Scent is very interesting, deep, lightly smoked, malty, almost like the best Assam black tea went on a trip to Japan, stayed for two years and took over some habit to fit in better. This tea is made from yabukita cultivar, the most used cultivar in Japan, and grown organically in Oba Sorayama in Shimane Prefecture. Price is 21 USD for 60 grams or 8 USD for 20 grams.
Takarabako Organic Shimane Aged Black Tea 2015 in a Cup
Brewing: 3 grams, 200 ml, 90 degrees Celsius, 3,4,5 min.
Takarabako Organic Shimane aged black tea 2015 is definitely not a black tea for everyone. This tea has a unique flavor, almost like citrus soaking in light malty liquor. It does have a hint of something alcoholic, fermented, and a very pronounced tangy note. Color is beautiful, intense, deep red, very live. It leaves a very strong aftertaste. Flavor comes in layers, it’s first mellow and lightly sweet, then changes into tangy with a tingly sensation. Second and third steep offer a similar flavor, without any astringency.
I think Takarabako Organic Shimane aged black tea 2015 would go perfect before a meal, as a tea aperitif. Or, as a perfect tea of choice for more sophisticated evening tea parties alongside with some desserts.
