2021 Kansai Competition Uji Hikari No. 5028
Kansai Regional Tea Competition Sep 3, 2021
Every year about two hundred farmers compete in five categories (Sencha, Fukamushi, Kabuse, Gyokuro, and Tencha) of the Kansai Tea Competition and it includes the prefectures of Nara, Wakayama, Kyoto, Osaka, Hyōgo, Shiga, and Mie. Tencha is the leaf form of matcha before grinding into a powder. Judges taste the Tencha in its tea form, not matcha to grade the teas.
Generally, it takes about 200 friends and family to help pick the very best leaves that are manually sorted and graded from A to D. Only the very best leaves will be used for Competition Grade teas. Steaming is done by basket and the hand rolling into the shapes can take up to ten hours to finish. Please enjoy the physical beauty and uniformity of these leaves when they are dry, the deep aroma, long aftertaste, and the luminescent green color of the brewed leaves.
This year we were very excited to win the bidding auction and secure the entire lot of this tea which is a little under 4kg and share such a special selection exclusively with you.
Competition matcha is the absolute pinnacle of matcha production consisting of one cultivar from a single lot that creates an incredibly clear and defined taste that is not diminished by blending with other lower quality matcha. The tea is cultivated using centuries-old traditional methods and the leaves are hand-picked to ensure that only the highest quality is used in the four kilograms (about 200 cans) that will be submitted to the competition for evaluation. Only this small amount that was submitted can be named the competition tea and no other.
Matcha of this quality is fully enjoyed in the most traditional and formal method, which is Koicha. Koicha, thick tea, uses twice the amount of matcha and half the amount of water, resulting in a dense paste that is deep green and without any foam at all. It will be necessary to use a bamboo whisk to prepare it.
5g of sifted matcha, 40ml of water at 85-90c
Start by making sure all the matcha is submerged into the water, then gently whisk the liquid until it thickens and becomes consistent. Move quickly but use short strokes and enjoy while still warm.
Watch Koicha Making Video
Here is a short guide on how to make the perfect bowl of matcha
Origin:
Joyo, Kyoto, Japan
Cultivar:
100% Uji Hikari
Cultivar:
Overall Ranking 28th
Producer:
Hirofumi Oota
Flavor and Aroma Profile:
Strong floral taste, strong astringency, buttery, refreshing bitterness
Servings:
10 x 2g for Usucha, 4 x 5g for Koicha
Net weight:
20g (0.71oz)
