MIE0001 "SAEAKARI" (40g)
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Sweet corn before the first sip. Then the umami arrives — broad, slow, filling the whole mouth at once.
Marushige Shimizu Tea Factory in Suizawa, Mie specialises in kabuse-cha, and Saeakari is their most expressive cultivar. Covering the leaves for two weeks concentrates umami in a way that feels less like a note and more like a wave. The corn sweetness is not a trace — it is the first thing you smell, with hints of green soybean and faint Muscat in the finish. Almost no astringency.
Brew at 50-60°C, slowly, as you would Gyokuro. The umami opens gradually. Cold brew works just as well — the sweetness intensifies and the finish lengthens.
Recipe
Point
Mr. Shimizu's "Saeakari" has outstandingly rich umami and sweetness, so it is recommended to brew it slowly at around 60 degrees Celsius.
If you don't have a temperature-controlled electric kettle or thermometer, use the following method to cool the water.
- Boil water and transfer to a teacup once.
- Wait for 2 minutes to allow the temperature to drop to around 80 degrees.
*The temperature drop will vary depending on the shape and material of the teacup.
How to Brew
- Prepare the water at 80 degrees Celsius.
- Put the tea leaves in the teapot and pour the hot water.
- After 60 seconds, pour the water into the teapot, shaking it slightly.
- The last drop from the teapot is a superb drop of tea, rich in the flavor of the tea leaves. Pour every last drop of tea gently.
Reference
Behind the Sip
Marushige Shimizu Tea Factory
Mie Prefecture produces more kabuse-cha than anywhere else in Japan. Roughly 70 percent of the national total. And almost no one outside the industry knows this. The tea ships out in bulk, unnamed, absorbed into bl...
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