Saemidori Matcha - Hattoriさん Kurasawa. 20g
Raw Walnut. Pine. Grapefruit Zest.
A humble and very drinkable Saemidori Matcha with a warm zesty grapefruit finish, cool raw walnut notes, and pine notes. The aroma is bright and sunny, best enjoyed in cooler weather.
Stone-Milled: Fresh ground in Lawrenceville, NJ
Raw Walnut. Pine. Grapefruit Zest.
A humble and very drinkable Saemidori Matcha with a warm zesty grapefruit finish, cool raw walnut notes, and pine notes. The aroma is bright and sunny, best enjoyed in cooler weather.
Stone-Milled: Fresh ground in Lawrenceville, NJ
Raw Walnut. Pine. Grapefruit Zest.
A humble and very drinkable Saemidori Matcha with a warm zesty grapefruit finish, cool raw walnut notes, and pine notes. The aroma is bright and sunny, best enjoyed in cooler weather.
Stone-Milled: Fresh ground in Lawrenceville, NJ
About this Matcha
2023 Vintage
Raw Walnut. Pine. Grapefruit Zest.
A humble and very drinkable Saemidori Matcha with a warm zesty grapefruit finish, cool raw walnut notes, and pine notes. The aroma is bright and sunny, best enjoyed in cooler weather.
Bright and sunny aroma. Gently toasted walnuts, pine spruce, juniper berry. Reminds one of those rare brisk winter days splashed in direct warming sunlight. Cylindrical vertical texture starts from the through and narrowly travels forward to just behind the front teeth. Vortex rotation between astringent, and lightly savory. Juicy, and mouth-watering, though not tannic in character. Gin finish, pithy citrusy aftertaste on the verge of sweetness that becomes warming on the tongue (not unlike the feeling, but not taste, of Cinnamon.) Humble, drinkable.
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A wonderful example of the Saemidori (さえみどり) cultivar, known for its distinctive green color when brewed. Not to be confused with the similar sounding Samidori (さみどり.)
Saemdori translates to “clear green”, and has a pleasant savory taste that’s superior to Yabukita’s, though less cold hardy. You’ll typically see this cultivar in more southern terroirs such as Kyushu.
Most exciting, this Saemidori was processed at a secret tea processing facility located somewhere in the Tenryu (天竜市) mountain chain. Maintained by a small collective of farmers, the factory uses local water collected from the nearby cliff.
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To make a fresh and smooth bowl of Usucha or Koicha, follow our brewing instructions.
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Long-term Storage: Store unopened Ooika Matcha in the refrigerator. Consume within 6 months.
Room-Temp Short-term Storage: Store opened Ooika Matcha in a cool, dark place away from sunlight. Consume within 3 months.
Refrigerator Short-term Storage: Opened Matcha can be stored in the refrigerator to help maintain freshness, however, the Matcha is at risk of condensation when cooler than ambient air. For this reason, if you choose to store an opened Matcha in the refrigerator, be sure to take the Matcha you need and then immediately place it back in the refrigerator to minimize exposure to the warm air.
Ochairinikki (御茶入日記)
Category Green tea (お茶) |
Subcategory OISHITACHA (おおいしたちゃ) |
Grade Ceremonial |
Terroir Kurasawa, Shizuoka, Japan |
Vintage 2023 |
Cultivar Saemidori (さえみどり) |
Harvest Method Sentei Ki (剪定機) |
Shading Style Dual Layer Kanreisha (寒冷紗) |
Shading Duration 30 days |
Milling Ishi-Usu (石臼) Stone-Milled by Ooika |
Packaging Cold-stored, oxygen-free bag |
Use Usucha, Koicha |
Hattoriさん
A 4th generation tea farmer, Hattoriさん reminisces about playing in mountain tea gardens behind his father’s farm. Today, he tends to these same fields.
His farm and processing facility runs on solar power, and uses only organic fertilizer, and no pesticides.
Hattoriさん’s Farm
Forward-thinking, renewable energy, and chemical-free. Located near the venerable Mt. Fuji.
Teas from the farm are known for having exceptionally high (over double the average) GABA (γ-Aminobutyric acid) content.
The Secret Tencha Facility
Hattoriさん is also one of the three partners responsible for one of Japan’s most desirable Tencha processing facilities.
This facility's location is a closely guarded secret. All that’s known is that it’s located somewhere in the Tenryu (天竜市) mountain range.
This Matcha was processed at this secret factory.
Visiting Kurasawa
Most tea from Shizuoka is mass-produced, commercial-grade tea grown on larger, flat plantations. Though artisan and highly desirable tea in Shizuoka also exist.
The Tenryu Mountain chain, or Sky Dragon, is located in Shizuoka and is known for excellent tea, and even hosts a secret tea processing facility.
The rivers are teal and opal, with rich clouds that swirl down the ravines.
2022 Vintage - Sold Out
Grapefruit Pith. Brûlée. Shoyu.
An assertive citrus-forward Matcha from 4th generation Hattoriさん. Cultivated with no pesticides, organic fertilizer, and local-mountain water.
Top not of sherbet, freeze-dried fruit powders, floral. Grapefruit pith, caramelized brûlée, savory braised underbelly. Sharp, floral tannins, masculine. Assertive Matcha with a cube-like shape, weighing on the tongue while engaging the full pallet, and roof of the mouth. Shoyu intertwined between the layers of flavor and texture. Tingling center-of-the-tongue tannin lingers. Warm amber coats the throat.
