Single Estate
Gokasé, Miyazaki, Japan.
Single Cultivar
Minamisayaka cultivar.
20 years.
Oolong Tea
Organic oolong / loose leaf.
New Harvest
Spring 2023.
Additional information
For the manufacturing of oolong tea, it produces a better aroma and more refreshing taste when the leaf is harvested after the buds have begun to unfurl.
During sensitizing, sufficient care is taken not to let the leaf oxidize too much.
About the manufacturer
“At Miyazaki Sabō I see it as my function to make sure that the young aspiring tea producers that come to learn tea manufacturing with us can actively learn it in a free and unconstrained environment. This should help them to discover their own strengths and develop an original style.”
About the tea garden
Makoto-hata
誠畑
20 ares.
Tea farm.
Altitude 650m.
The farm is surrounded by Japanese cedar trees, limiting the amount of sunlight-hours the bushes receive.
Soil type:
Red loam soil layers from the Paleozoic era.
Direction and angle:
5 degrees Northward.
Ridge direction and shape:
Vertically east to west.
About the climate
Climate:
Cold climate protected from frost by an inversion layer.
Surroundings and environmental circumstances:
The farm is situated at a high altitude, and only receives limited sunlight. this makes that even when the buds unfurl into leaves, they still remain quite soft. Inversion circulation of the air protects the farm from frost damage.
About the tea cultivar species
Cultivar details - Minamisayaka
Breeder:
Miyazaki Prefecture.
History:
Cross-bred from the ‘Miya A-6’ cultivar and the ‘NN27’ cultivar. Registered as no. 42 in 1991.
Growth:
A slightly late grower with a stronger yield than the Yabukita cultivar. It has shown to rapidly grow roots when reproduced from cuttings.
Specifications:
It is a vigorous bush that grows branches in a vertical direction. It grows a long, large elliptical leaf with a deep green color. Its quality is especially suitable for the manufacturing of sencha. When brewed it produces a bright, clear green liquor with a strong aroma.
Resistance:
Fairly resistant against cold and frost. Good resistance against diseases.
Suitable land:
Cultivation should be avoided in regions where there is possibility for ‘bacterial wilt’ due to extreme cold climate.
Brewing guidelines
Suggested measurements for 1 portion.
Amount of tea
4g
Water temperature
90~98℃
Water amount
200cc
Steeping duration
20~90 sec
Suggested no. of infusions: [5~10]
Additional comments:
Depending on the length of each infusion, this tea maintains fragrance for a long time.
Brew shortly for the first infusion for a fresh aroma. Gradually increase the duration for later infusions.
Additional impressions:
【Oolong】Organic Minamisayaka Japanese Oolong 50g
$22.00
Availability: In stock
richard –
I’m no Oolong expert, only having had a few before, usually been more of a sencha or gyokuro drinker. This was more of an experiment for me. I used 3g with about 100-120ml of water and managed about 5 steeps, each being full of flavour and slightly different. It was greener than expected, green, earthy yet also fragrant and flowery. I would definitely buy again and learn more about oolongs in general so have more to compare it to.
Tine (verified owner) –
My first experience with oolong tea.. It was really a very soft taste. I could really taste nature in this tea, and could only drink it with my eyes closed because it was so soft and fragile. I would definitely recommend this wonderful healthy tea!
Ricardo Caicedo –
Although I drink mostly green tea, I really liked this oolong.
There are many unique things about this tea: it’s shape, leaf color, and even the Minamisayaka cultivar.
If you’re looking for something special, I highly recommend it.
Amanda Freeman –
This Oolong has impressive longevity! The smooth and sweet tea sticks around for nine very solid steeps, which I found surprising and pleasant. The dominant taste in this tea was definitely wisteria, with undertones of orchid and crushed vegetation giving it a lingering green taste at the finish. Later steeps have a much stronger floral note, the crushed vegetation fading to be replaced by ghostly orange blossom which was quite tantalizing. Towards the end of this tea’s life long lingering notes of wisteria haunted me in the aftertaste. Overall this is a wonderfully refreshing tea, my only regret was drinking it before bed since it lasted more steeps than I was expecting so I ended up staying up later than I meant with it!
Wolfgang (verified owner) –
Very good tea. Most times I drink Sencha, Matcha and Gyokuro. But these Oolong is a very special taste. Wonderful. So I would like to drink more of these Japanese Oolongs.
Victoria (verified owner) –
A very special Oolong. In the past, I drank a lot of Oolong. I’m finding Japan, who is known for green tea, has perfected the more oxidized teas. This tea was perfect, not harsh like you would expect from other oxidized tea from other countries. I am now only drinking Japanese tea and I’m glad there is such a wide variety of teas available from TheTea Crane.
Joram Schurmans (verified owner) –
Only my second oolong. Love the smell. If I could wear it as a perfume, I definitely would. Taste lingers on for a very long time. I also found that you can get lots of steeps out of it. Looking forward to drink this tea again and discover more of this rich world.
Oskar (verified owner) –
Very lovely and floral oolong, subtle and elegant with terroir signs. As said the perfume is unique. To take alone and enjoy it’s subleties without interference. I tend to brew it a bit longer than suggested. It will never get bitter. Like a very good Tiekuanyin or Alishan oolongs but with a lot of terroir. As said you can taste the tea fields and the aroma of the mountain. That’s is my first Tyas tea and now I understand its philosophy a bit more.
Jens Guldal Rasmussen (verified owner) –
This is a splendid “green” oolong (i.e. markedly less oxidated than the darker tasting Taiwanese oolongs – more in the direction of a very high grade ‘Ti Kuan yin’, if we continue the comparison wiuth Chinese oololng teas). It has the most beautifull fresh and flowery scent. Regarding the taste, I can’t detect the citrus trace, that is mentioned in the description, if what is meant is a freshness of taste, though, I concur. To me this tea’s most outstanding taste notes are its immediate flowey quality (almost as if someone had added a bit of dried chrysanthemum or osmanthus flowers to the tea), and then an outspoken, honeyed sweetness, that lingers on the palate. A wonderful, highly recommended oolong tea!