Japanese green tea fascinates me for various reasons and one of those reasons is that they have been some of my best tea sessions ever, while other tea sessions were the worst. My go-to source for Japanese green tea is Nio Teas and they were kind enough to send me some tea to try. The tea I’m trying today is their Kuki Hojicha.
Kuki Hojicha
Hojicha is different from an average Japanese green tea as it’s roasted and has a completely different flavor profile. It’s made using stems and is low in caffeine because of this. I’ve had some delicious Hojicha in the past and it’s the perfect tea to drink in winter as it’s a warming and cozy tea.
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Tea tasting
- 6g for 200ml Tokoname kyusu
- 70°C water
The leaves smell like delicious hot chocolate on a cozy winter evening while it’s snowing outside. I’m also getting strong notes of coffee roasting and there is something sweet in there as well. This tea is made using stems and they are fairly uniform in size. I did preheat the teapot but I didn’t rinse the leaves.
Infusion 1 (60s): it’s a long first infusion as the leaves haven’t opened yet and that is what they recommend for a first infusion. The color is dark brown and the smell is amazing. Burned sugar with a hint of coffee. Taking a sip is even better! I’m getting strong notes of coffee with a burned finish. It feels as if I’m walking through a bakery where you sometimes have the smell of slightly burned bread.
This is such an amazing tea and is one of my favorite Hojicha teas. The combination of coffee and burned bread/sugar is just right.
Infusion 2 (20s): this one feels less intense as it’s less about coffee and more about hot chocolate. It’s gentle and feels really thick. It almost feels like I’m drinking milk. It’s also a tiny bit sweeter than the previous infusion. I can feel the energy/warmth of this tea spreading through my whole body.
Infusion 3 (30s): it feels very similar as I’m still getting chocolate and sugar. I feel the leaves are fading a bit so it’s better to do a longer infusion. I don’t think the leaves have given everything as my infusion was relatively short.
Infusion 4 (long): this was a long infusion and this resulted in more intense flavors. It’s a combination of sweet coffee and hot chocolate; combining the best of both worlds. In addition to the delicious flavors and pleasant body feels, the aftertaste is noteworthy as well. The chocolate stays around for a very long time.
Conclusion
This Kuki Hojicha has to be one of the best (if not the best) I have ever tried. The flavors were intense, the texture felt right and the aftertaste lingered for the whole afternoon.
If you’re looking for a nice Hojicha, this is the one you should go for! Clicking one of these links automatically applies an 8% discount and I also earn a small commission at no additional cost.
