Iribancha | 煎り番茶

Brewing.
Hot: 1st Steep: 5g of leaf | 220g of water @ 200°F | Steep for 2 minutes. 2nd Steep: 200°F | Steep for 1 minute

Storage: Keep the tea in the refrigerator. After opening, place the tin in a ziploc bag before returning to the fridge - this will protect the tea from absorbing any aromas from your refrigerator.

Description: This Iribancha was produced exclusively by Ryuouen - one of Japan's oldest and most respected tea sellers. We are honored to be entrusted as Ryuouen's sole reseller outside of Japan. This unique tea is consumed almost exclusively in the Kyoto area and is often referred to as "Kyobancha" (Kyoto Bancha). What distinguishes this tea from other bancha is the intense smoky aroma that is produced by a long, high-temperature roasting. While the nose is intensely smoked, the brewed tea has a mild mouthfeel with a pleasant, lingering smoky finish.

What is so special about this tea? This tea is the labor of an obsession: both from Ryuouen and their obsessive commitment to quality, and from Kettl in our obsession to convince them to allow us to sell. We visited with Ryuouen five times over the course of two years and slowly gained their trust and were rewarded with the responsibility to share their products with a wider audience. You'll notice this tea comes in the original Ryuouen packaging - a sign of respect to their makers and a badge of honor for us. Iribancha is produced from the mature, unused leaves from a variety of tea plants - often high-grade Tencha - from surrounding areas of Uji. Picked in late summer, these mature leaves actually undergo a small amount of fermentation and oxidation, and if un-roasted, would brew with a slightly sour taste. But the intensive roasting process imbues this tea with a heady, smoky punch reminiscent of the peated scotch of Islay. A wonderful, calming tea that is easy to enjoy but will draw your attention in each time you drink it. Our outstanding partnerships and insatiable drive to bring you the best results in a matcha we want to drink again and again.