Lupicia Date Ichigō is a regional limited-edition tea available exclusively from Lupicia’s Sendai store.
Inspired by the small, specialty strawberries of Sendai, this flavoured tea blends the essence and flesh of these strawberries with black tea. Sendai Strawberry is registered as a regional collective trademark for the purpose of selecting quality that suits the climate of Miyagi Prefecture.
Steeping 3 g of loose-leaf tea in 200 mL of water at 85ºC for 3 minutes yielded a clear, red-brown infusion with a fresh, sweet-tart strawberry aroma. Consumed hot, the tea unfolded its flavours gradually—the strawberry notes appeared softly a few seconds into the sip, followed by the black tea, which brought a smooth mouthfeel with minimal astringency or bitterness. Almost immediately, the strawberry notes returned, spreading across the palate with a fragrant, sweet aroma. The balance between the tea’s natural fruitiness and the subtle strawberry sweetness lingered pleasantly in the aftertaste.
When consumed with milk, any residual astringency or bitterness from the black tea was softened, creating a creamier strawberry profile that highlighted its sweetness.
Overall, this tea elegantly captured the fresh, sweet aroma of Sendai strawberries, with its gentle flavour spreading softly across the palate. It is worth repurchasing.
This Lupicia Date Ichigō contained 50 g. The tea was sourced from India and Vietnam, packaged in Japan, and purchased in Sendai, Japan in 2024.