Taste of Tea :: Tsugumi Roasted Kukicha from High Garden

Hey there, tea drinkers! I hope you’re having a great weekend. Today’s post is another Taste of Tea entry in which I’ll relay my tea-tasting journal entry for the Tsugumi Roasted Kukicha tea from High Garden Woodland Tea House and Sipping Apothecary in Nashville, TN. I purchased some of this tea on a previous visit to High Garden’s shop. I’ve had a few different Hojicha and green Kukicha teas, but this is the first roasted Kukicha I’ve had, so I was excited to give it a taste.

Type of Tea: Green Tea (roasted), loose

Tasting Notes 

Dry tea: The scent emanating from the package was sweet and herby with some roasted notes. The scent also had a slight medicinal quality, similar in quality to a Hojicha (also a roasted green tea). The tea itself was quite woody and appeared to be mostly stems, sticks, and veins; the colors were all shades of brown, and the tea reminded me a bit of mulch.

Preparation: 1 heaped teaspoon in approximately 170 mL (5.8 oz) of freshly boiled water at approximately 95-100 C (203-212 F) water for 30 seconds

I warmed the teapot and added the dry tea to help further activate its scent. The activated scent had a low sweetness, elements of roasted nuts, and a mild herbiness that was just ever so slightly medicinal in quality.

Tea liquor: After infusing, the scent coming off of the liquor was light, but had similar elements as the dry tea’s scent. The color of the liquor was a brownish-orange, sort of light honey-like, color.

The tea liquor had a warm flavor, but not really a spicy warm flavor. It was somewhat astringent. The tea also a lightly sweet finish that was accompanied by a slow dryness. Overall, the flavor was a little light, but it had a roastiness and a mild nuttiness; these flavors were complemented by a mild medicinal herbiness. There was also bit of a an earth, or somewhat metallic, quality.

Quick Summary

• Tea: Tsugumi roasted kukicha, roated green tea
• Origin: Japan
• Retailer: High Garden
• Flavor Notes: roastiness, nuttiness, herbiness
• Finish: lightly sweet with a slow dryness an a touch of minerality

Final Thoughts: To me this tea’s warm and toasty flavors tasted pretty much like other Hojicha that I’ve had. And I love a good Hojicha, so that makes this tea a great addition to my collection of roasted green teas.

Thanks for reading! As always, these are my tasting notes, and since the perception of taste and aroma can be quite personal your experience will likely, and indeed probably should, differ from mine. But regardless, I hope this post inspires you to get out there and to keep trying new teas. And if you don’t already, I’d encourage you to try making your own tasting notes as you do!

What tea should I try next? Drop me a line down in the comments and share your suggestion.

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That’s it, tea drinkers. Until next time, keep enjoying the wondrous taste of tea! — Blake – the tea drinker behind Blake’s Tea Journal