Japanese Asamiya Organic Sae Midori Black Tea

Discovered by our tea explorer Leo during his 2023 trip, this tea hails from a dedicated 100% organic farm in Asamiya, renowned for its premium tea. What makes it special is the farm's unwavering commitment to organic practices, prioritizing flavor over labels. 

Sae Midori, traditionally a green tea cultivar, develops a distinctive flavor when made into black tea. This variety keeps a pronounced sweetness in its black tea form, closer to honey than the usual grassy taste of its green tea version. The astringency in Sae Midori black tea is milder, making for a smoother sip. Along with its honey-like sweetness, it has floral notes, adding layers to its overall taste profile. Through the oxidation process used in black tea making, Sae Midori gains a deeper, richer flavor, resulting in a tea with a full body and a memorable aftertaste. The specific techniques of oxidation and drying play a significant role in shaping its flavor, presenting Sae Midori as an intriguing option for both green and black tea lovers, and highlighting its unique qualities.

The "Sae Midori" (さえみどり) cultivar of Japanese tea is a crossbreed of two well-known varieties: "Yabukita" and "Asatsuyu." Yabukita is a widely cultivated variety known for its balance of flavor and aroma. On the other hand, Asatsuyu, often called "natural gyokuro" due to its sweet and umami-rich profile, is less widely grown but highly valued for its quality. This crossbreeding results in Sae Midori, which combines the desirable traits of both parent varieties.

Sae Midori was developed in 1969 at the Makurazaki Branch of the National Agriculture and Food Research Organization's Vegetable and Tea Research Institute in Japan. This cultivar is especially suited for warmer climates and produces tea leaves that are rich in amino acids, contributing to its high-quality taste. The tea leaves are characterized by a long oval shape, a vibrant green color, and a relatively thick and glossy texture.

Interestingly, while Sae Midori is a unique and high-quality cultivar on its own, many teas marketed as Uji teas from Kyoto actually come from Asamiya and other regions. This practice highlights the high quality and sought-after nature of teas like Sae Midori from these regions.

Sae Midori, traditionally a green tea cultivar, develops a distinctive flavor when made into black tea. This variety keeps a pronounced sweetness in its black tea form, closer to honey than the usual grassy taste of its green tea version. The astringency in Sae Midori black tea is milder, making for a smoother sip. Along with its honey-like sweetness, it has floral notes, adding layers to its overall taste profile. Through the oxidation process used in black tea making, Sae Midori gains a deeper, richer flavor, resulting in a tea with a full body and a memorable aftertaste. The specific techniques of oxidation and drying play a significant role in shaping its flavor, presenting Sae Midori as an intriguing option for both green and black tea lovers, and highlighting its unique qualities.

How to brew: steep 4g of tea with around 200ml hot water at 180ºF-185ºF (82ºC-85ºC) and steep for about one minute. You can reuse the leaves and steep them for about 30 seconds on the second infusion.