New! Organic Japanese Green Tea OOLONG
What is BENIFUUKI?, our non-Japanese customers will wonder. It is the tea variety Camellia sinensis L. – Cultivar „Benifuuki“. This variety is strong in stature and very disease-resistant. The leaves have a wonderful scent.

The production – light fermenting and just a little milling of the leaves – is somewhat similar to that of Oolong. However, the tea is not just heated, but treated with hot steam. This creates the impression of the tea being pan-fried. The gentle part-fermentation, moreover, is done in dark places, cooled to a low temperature, and not in a light/warm place as in the case of Oolong. Thus, Benifuuki is hardly oxidized and keeps its green color. Only the final processing, i.e. the further drying and milling, is done as with Oolong tea.

Another characteristic is its high content of the special Epigallocatechingallate, EGCG3, attributable to the plant species and the intensive steam treatment. In Japan, therefore, BENIFUUKI is considered a special medicinal tea for the treatment of allergies.

Benifuuki should be brewed hotter (80–90°C) and can be steeped for longer than traditional Kabusecha to let its flavor unfold fully. We recommend two to three brews. The cup color of this tea from the first plucking is not a deep dark green, but light and clear. Similar to artichokes, the first impression is the astringent taste. The exquisite bitter note is topped by an intensely flowery scent, reminiscent of lily of the valley, bark resin and honey. Contingent on the dosage and steeping time, the tea can be served delicate/mild, slightly bitter or bitter. Why not try the unknown – and enjoy the new kind of tea scent! Available in 50g pack loose leaves (# 158). The bulk version for bigger quantities will be available as of May 2010.