Fukamushicha is a deep steamed green tea that steams tea leaves for longer than usual, which results in a more powdery shape to leave only the softest and sweetest part of the tea leaves. The extended steaming time results in discolouration of lower quality tea leaves, so the jade-like colour of fukamushicha is a sign of quality. This Ocha no Horinoen Fukamushicha Hoen featuring Kumamon on the tin is one such example.
The tea is a Kumamoto-grown fukamushicha processed as tamaryokucha (coiled green tea) that is popular in the Kyūshū area.
Steeping 3 g of loose leaf in 200 mL of water at 70°C for 1 minute, the infusion was a semi-transparent jade colour with a grassy, citrus aroma. Consumed hot, prominent vegetal notes came through at the head of each sip and develop with mild astringency in the body ahead of a gentle berry sweetness in the finish with a long almondy aftertaste. The overall flavour was milder and less astringent than typical Japanese green tea and recalled a mellower Lupicia Sakurambo Vert and a sharper Oguri Farm Organic Green Tea Makinohara.
This Ocha no Horinoen Fukamushicha Hoen contained 50 g. It was produced in Japan and purchased in Kumamoto, Japan in 2019.