Yame Black Tea | 八女紅茶

Brewing: 1st Steep: 3g of leaf | 180g of water @ 195°F | Steep for 1 minute. 2nd Steep: 195°F | Steep for 30 seconds

Storage: Keep in a cool dry place away from light, heat and moisture. Optimally fresh within 6 months of opening.

Description: Truly a unique offering, our Yame black is rare in that the volume of black tea made in Japan annually is incredibly low. While Yame black is sturdy enough to stand up to milk, lemon and sugar it really shines on its own with a beautiful depth of character. If you are a lover of bright, malty breakfast style black tea - this will be a perfect fit. We describe this tea as being Indian or Sri Lankan in style with a lovely, mild finish. Made from the Benifuku cultivar, Yame black showcases the possibilites of Japan's emerging black tea market.

What is so special about this tea? Black tea was made in Japan in the 1800's, but primarily for the export as the domestic market drank green tea. The glut of cheaper teas pouring in from China and Indian at the time made it financially impossible for Japan to compete - so most if not all black tea production was halted. The last decade has brought renewed interest in Japan's black tea production and the amount made yearly, while still representing less than one percent of annual production.