Description
What is Wakoucha?
Wakoucha (和紅茶) is Japanese Black tea. Thinking about Japanese tea, at first one would not think of black
tea. In comparison to green tea’s long history of production, the manufacture of black tea in Japan was introduced only 150 years ago. Therefore its origin goes back to the Meiji period, the time when Japan began to open up to the rest of the world.
Koucha actually means red tea’. It is named after its colour as the brewed tea displays a dark red colour. This is because Japanese water is low in lime content and therefore is so-called ‘soft water’.
Koucha is a fully oxidised tea. After the harvest the leaves are first withered before further processing. By the subsequent rolling of the tea leaves, the cell structure is broken down which enhances the following oxidaton process.
As black tea is a recent discovery in Japan only about 300 farmers are producing Koucha throughout the country and is therefore a specialist product.
Farmer Profile
There are only around 300 tea farmers producing black tea in Japan, and one of them lives right next door here in Wazuka. Sugimoto-san started making black tea, known as wakoucha in Japan, about five years ago. Now, to the surprise of many traditional tea farmers, it has become a huge part of his life.
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Obubu Tea –
Reviews by tea professionals and enthusiasts:
“The scent was mostly vegetal. There is a kinda malty flavour, but I get more mild fruit. I could see having this with meals”- Lariel of Lórien, 2014 .
“The liquor is a nice golden brown, clear, and with very little leaf hair. The aroma is not unlike the scent of the leaves, bright and slightly malty. There is almost an herbal undertone to it as well, but I can’t quite place it. The taste is bright and fairly dry. There is a slight sweetness, but mostly I get brisk, slightly malty, and bitter or sour flavors; almost that of a lemon” – Cory Schmidt, 2013
Alrune (verified owner) –
This is the black tea to end all black teas in my opinion. I became intrigued after finding Obubu and learning more about Japanese tea. I had always been a fan of black teas and my interest was piqued when I saw that they actually had a Japanese black tea. I had to try it. I loved that the leaves were rolled, which look beautiful before and after steeping. The smell of the dried tea was amazing and once it’s brewed, it’s a sight to behold. The color of the liquor is amazing. Rich amber. I was in love. The smell was intoxicating, exactly what you’d want from a high quality black tea. The taste is beautiful. I recently ran out and had bought the Pine Needle Wakoucha to try, but I have to tell you. I’m missing this one!
Thai Phan (verified owner) –
This was a very yummy black tea.