{"product_id":"yame-award-winner-yabukita-shincha-2026-harvest","title":"Yame Award Winner Yabukita Hashiri Shincha (Limited Batch 2026 Harvest)","description":"\u003ch1\u003eYame Award Winner Yabukita Shincha\u003c\/h1\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e2026 Harvest · Award-Winning Limited Batch · Yame, Fukuoka\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYabukita is the most widely grown tea cultivar in Japan, but that does not mean all Yabukita tastes the same.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis extremely limited \u003cstrong\u003eaward-winning shincha from Yame\u003c\/strong\u003e shows what the cultivar can become when exceptional leaves, careful farming, and precise processing come together.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYabukita is famous for its balance. Rather than pushing strongly toward only sweetness or only umami, it can bring together fresh aroma, savory depth, gentle sweetness, pleasant astringency, and the clean green character many people associate with classic Japanese sencha.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBecause Yabukita is so common, it can sometimes be overlooked by tea drinkers searching for rarer cultivars. But at its best, Yabukita is not ordinary at all. Its strength is its clarity and balance.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis tea is a good example of why the cultivar became so important to Japanese tea in the first place.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eWhy Yame?\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYame, in Fukuoka Prefecture, is one of Japan's most respected tea-producing regions and is particularly known for teas with \u003cstrong\u003edeep umami, elegant sweetness, and refined texture\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMany of Yame's tea gardens are surrounded by hills and mountain valleys where morning mist, cooler nights, and noticeable differences between daytime and nighttime temperatures can slow the growth of the tea leaves.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThat slower development can help create teas with greater sweetness, aroma, and depth.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYame is especially famous for producing some of Japan's most celebrated gyokuro, but the same attention to leaf quality and careful processing can also produce extraordinary sencha.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn this Yabukita, the naturally balanced character of the cultivar meets Yame's tendency toward softer, sweeter, more umami-driven teas.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe cup begins with fresh spring greens and a clean savory depth, but what makes this batch especially memorable is what develops afterward. A \u003cstrong\u003elily-like floral freshness appears on the back of the palate\u003c\/strong\u003e, followed by a cool, refreshing sweetness that reminds us of \u003cstrong\u003efresh green melon\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese notes give the tea a surprisingly light and refreshing finish despite its depth of umami.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eAn Award-Winning Limited Batch\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAward teas are not simply about making a tea stronger or more intense.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt this level, small details matter: the quality and uniformity of the leaves, when they are harvested, how they are steamed, how evenly they are rolled and dried, and how clearly the finished tea expresses its aroma, texture, sweetness, and finish.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a \u003cstrong\u003every limited batch\u003c\/strong\u003e, and that is part of what makes teas like this special. It is not designed to be produced in large quantities or taste identical every year.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt is a snapshot of one harvest, one growing season, and one carefully produced lot.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eWhat Is Shincha?\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eShincha means “new tea”\u003c\/strong\u003e and refers to the first teas produced from the new spring harvest.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter resting through winter, the tea plants begin producing tender new growth in spring. These young leaves are prized for their freshness, aroma, sweetness, and lively green character.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith shincha, freshness itself is part of the experience.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis 2026 Yabukita has the recognizable freshness of early spring tea, but beneath that brightness is the structure that makes excellent Yabukita so satisfying: fresh greens, balanced umami, gentle sweetness, and just enough refreshing astringency to keep the cup lively.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs the tea settles on the palate, the character becomes more delicate. There is a \u003cstrong\u003efresh lily-like quality toward the back of the mouth\u003c\/strong\u003e, followed by a juicy \u003cstrong\u003egreen melon sweetness\u003c\/strong\u003e that makes the finish feel especially cooling and refreshing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRather than being overwhelmingly rich, it feels \u003cstrong\u003eclean, precise, floral, and beautifully balanced\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor tea drinkers familiar with everyday Yabukita, this is an opportunity to experience how different the cultivar can taste when produced at an award-winning level.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eHow to Brew\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e5g | 220–250ml kyusu\/Japanese teapot | 165°F \/ 74°C | 90 seconds\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis temperature keeps the tea sweet and umami-rich while still allowing Yabukita's refreshing green character and delicate floral notes to come through.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor the second infusion, steep for approximately \u003cstrong\u003e20–30 seconds\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eCold Brew\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e1g per 50ml room-temperature water | Refrigerate for approximately 1 hour\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCold brewing emphasizes the tea's sweetness and refreshing character, bringing forward the green melon notes while softening its natural astringency.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCharacter:\u003c\/strong\u003e Fresh Spring Greens, Lily, Green Melon, Refined Umami, Gentle Sweetness, Clean Savory Finish\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Tea and Whisk","offers":[{"title":"2 oz","offer_id":51258111230195,"sku":null,"price":28.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"3 oz","offer_id":51258111262963,"sku":null,"price":39.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"4 oz","offer_id":51258111295731,"sku":null,"price":50.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"6 oz","offer_id":51258111328499,"sku":null,"price":75.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0268\/9486\/0322\/files\/yame-award-winner-yabukita-hashiri-shincha-limited-batch-2026-harvest-3716358.jpg?v=1789172287","url":"https:\/\/teaandwhisk.com\/products\/yame-award-winner-yabukita-shincha-2026-harvest","provider":"Tea and Whisk","version":"1.0","type":"link"}