Kyusu Teapot, red

Can't decide which tea should be your next? Looking for the perfect gift for a tea-enthusiast (to be)? This Tasting Set gives you the opportunity to test five of the KEIKO teas of the early first plucking to explore the different flavours - find your personal favourite.The set contains 15g of each tea variety: Kabuse Diamond LeafKabuse Tenbu FukaKabuse DanKabuse SoshunKabuse TenkoTea Tasting NotesAlso included is a notebook where you can record the results and observations from your tastings. The notebook contains info and tips on preparation and 20 evaluation pages that give clues on what to look for when tea tasting and help visualise the diversity of varieties, the influence of preparation on taste and the classification of flavours (German language, CO2 neutral printed on 100% recycled paper).The notebook is in German only, but you can download an English translation for it here.KabusechaKabusecha or Kabuse Sencha stands for shaded Sencha. For this green tea, the tea plants are shaded with special nets before harvesting. The nets allow only about half of the light to pass through, which means that the plants produce a high content of chlorophyll and other active substances and at the same time few bitter substances. Their characteristic "shade aroma" is called "ooika".FukamushichaThe teas in this set have all been intensively steamed (fukamushi-cha, 100 - 120 seconds steaming time). The gentle steaming opens the leaf pores and the extracts pass from the tea leaf more easily and quickly into the water. This can be recognised by the deep green colour of the tea in the cup and the yield of the tea - with top qualities like these, 4 infusions are possible!PreparationWe recommend an infusion temperature of 60-65°C for these teas. Let the first infusion steep for about 1 minute, for later infusions just steep briefly and pour out after a few seconds. For the last infusion, the infusion time can be extended a little more to get all the goodness out of the tea. Intensely steamed early pluckings are also particularly suitable for cold infusions (Mizudashi). Even with cold water, you get an intense and refreshing tea after just a few minutes. Since the bitter substances do not dissolve as strongly in cold water, the sweetish aromas of Kabusecha come into their own. For a cold-brew steep the tea leaves in cold water for at least 5 Minutes.Incidentally, the early pluckings also have a particularly high theanine content, which is noticeable in the sweet taste and comes out best at a low infusion temperature!StorageIn order to preserve the valuable aromas and ingredients of the tea in the best possible way, we ask you to close the bag tightly and store it in a cool, dark place in the fridge or freezer.

Soshun, "early spring" is from early first picking in the middle to end of April. It has a wonderfully rich, complex and sweet fragrance and a velvety harmonious taste. The cup is a luminous green. This tea is an unforgettable pleasure not only for connoisseurs. Kabusecha Kabusecha is a green tea for which the tea plants are shaded, thus forming a high content of chlorophyll and other active ingredients and at the same time little bitter substances. Their characteristic "shade aroma" is called "ooika".   Fukamushicha   Like many KEIKO teas, this is an intensively steamed tea (Fukamushi-cha, 100 - 120 seconds steaming time). Due to the gentle steaming process, the leaf pores open and the extracts from the tea leaf reach the water more easily and quickly. This can be recognized by the deep green tea colour in the cup and the yield of the tea - with top qualities up to 4 infusions are possible! Cold Brew       Intensively steamed early pickings are also particularly suitable for cold infusions (Mizudashi or Cold Brew). By infusing the leaves with cold water you will get an intensive and refreshing tea after only a few minutes. Since the bitter substances do not dissolve as strongly in cold water, the sweet aromas of the Kabusecha are especially noticeable. Storage In order to preserve the precious flavours and ingredients of the tea as best as possible, we recommend to seal the bag well and store it cool and dark - ideally in your refrigerator or freezer. 

Tenko, "gift from heaven", a half shaded green tea from the early first picking at the end of April has, like Tenbu Fuka and Soshun, this special "recurring taste" that stays on the tongue for a long time. Tenko is jade green in the cup. A rich, fruity-fresh fragrance and a characterful, mild and nut-like taste are characteristic of this tea. Kabusecha is a green tea for which the tea plants are shaded, thus forming a high content of chlorophyll and other active ingredients and at the same time little bitter substances. Their characteristic "shade aroma" is called "ooika".   Fukamushicha   Like many KEIKO teas, this is an intensively steamed tea (Fukamushi-cha, 100 - 120 seconds steaming time). Due to the gentle steaming process, the leaf pores open and the extracts from the tea leaf reach the water more easily and quickly. This can be recognized by the deep green tea colour in the cup and the yield of the tea - with top qualities up to 4 infusions are possible! Cold Brew       Intensively steamed early pickings are also particularly suitable for cold infusions (Mizudashi or Cold Brew). By infusing the leaves with cold water you will get an intensive and refreshing tea after only a few minutes. Since the bitter substances do not dissolve as strongly in cold water, the sweet aromas of the Kabusecha are especially noticeable. Storage In order to preserve the precious flavours and ingredients of the tea as best as possible, we recommend to seal the bag well and store it cool and dark - ideally in your refrigerator or freezer.