This is the Kirin Gogo no Kōcha for Happiness Kumamoto Strawberry Tea. It contains 0.1% strawberry juice and blends Kumamoto Prefecture’s black tea with Yubeni strawberries, also from Kumamoto. Since its launch in 2021, for every bottle sold, 3.9 yen (‘san kyuu’ or ‘thank you’) has been donated to support Kumamoto Prefecture in its reconstruction efforts following the 2016 earthquake. This project has continued its support each year, and we had our first taste of this beverage during its 2022 run while visiting Japan in April 2023.
The tea had a translucent ruby-brown hue with a sweet aroma reminiscent of strawberry jam. When enjoyed chilled, the strawberry flavour was immediately prominent, exuding vibrancy and an elegant sweetness that suggested strawberries harvested at their peak of ripeness, cooked down to a compote, and distilled to capture their essence. The strawberry sweetness graced the beginning of each sip, followed by the emergence of black tea in the body, delivering an uplifting, almost floral quality that brightened the sip to the finish. This black tea also brought a moderate astringency without any bitterness. Overall, this tea maintained the classic character of black tea while infusing the rich essence of strawberries, all achieved with just 0.1% strawberry juice. It was a thoroughly enjoyable experience and certainly worthy of a repeat purchase.
This Kirin Gogo no Kōcha for Happiness Kumamoto Strawberry Black Tea contained 500 mL. It was produced in Japan and purchased in Sydney, Australia in 2023.