Okumidori Matcha
Using the cultivar, Okumidori, which has a mesmerizing and rich green color, the Hori family stone-mills only a small batch each year. The Okumidori cultivar is typically used to to make Sencha but it is now also used for matcha production. Kiroku Tea Garden is known for their beautiful, high-quality matcha and we are so excited to introduce their matcha to you.
From Deana: So this Okumidori matcha is the first matcha that I tried that made me realize that for years, I have not had matcha that looked, smelled, and tasted as fresh as this. Upon the first sip, I was able to imagine what it would be like to be in the exact tea fields in Wazuka.
-Warm up your tea bowl with a little bit of hot water and gently whisk the tip of your chasen in the hot water to soften the bamboo tines. Discard water.
-Scoop 2g of matcha into a strainer over your tea bowl and sift.
-Gently pour a teaspoon of water into the tea bowl and whisk into a paste. Then add 70ml of hot water and whisk in a quick “W” motion for about 15 seconds to create a nice, thick froth.
-Continue to gently whisk the surface of the foam to break up bigger bubbles for a few more seconds.
Kiroku Tea Garden is a 5th generation women-owned tea farm in Wazuka, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. A total of 26 tea fields are lovingly tended by Megumi Hori, her sister Hiroe, and their mother Yoko. After Megumi’s father passed away several years ago, Megumi returned to Wazuka to help her mother continue the near-century-long family legacy.
The Hori family processes their own tea and matcha in-house and are passionate about revitalizing the tea industry in Japan. By experimenting with rare cultivars and creating unique single-origin teas, they hope to reignite people’s appreciation of the beauty and complexity of high-quality Japanese tea.