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Benifuuki
Sanbancha Organic

Name: Organic Benifuuki Sanbancha Asamushi
SKU: 1317-bio
Price: 9.90 EUR
Availability: InStock

Premium 91 P.

SKU

1317-bio

Premium organic benifuuki tea, 100% made from the 3rd harvest (sanbancha). Asamushi. Region of Chiran. Methylated catechins. Sourced directly from Japan. 100g

Character	Fine bitterness (due to methylated catechins), somewhat lighter than the first harvest; nicely balanced
Tea Garden	Nuruki Seicha; renowned organic tea farm in the Chiran terroir
Terroir	Chiran, Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan
Harvest	Third harvest (sanbancha), beginning of August (2023)
Cultivar	Benifuuki (100%)
Elevation	160m above sea level
Steaming	Short (asamushi, approximately 40 seconds with increased distance from steam outlet)
Grind	Gently milled in a ceramic mill. Particle size roughly 10-14μm.
Organic Cert.	EU certified organic, JAS organic since 1998
Laboratory Tests	Radioactivity (Region last tested11/2019)
Grade	91/100 p. (benifuuki category); Premium

In stock

The fields of Nuruki Seicha are located in the shadows of Kaimon Mountain (開聞岳) in southern Chiran, not far from Mt. Sakurajima. The Nuruki family has cultivated tea for over 20 years according to organic standards and comprehensive cultivation methods. We at Sunday Natural hold the Nuruki family's dedication to tea in high regard.

Yuichiro Nuruki is the third generation of his family to run the farm. His father succeeded in converting the tea farm into an organic farm in the late 1990s, when agriculture in Chiran was still predominantly characterised by conventional cultivation methods. This was a challenging endeavour, particularly in the beginning. At first, the Nuruki family was ridiculed for their attempts to convert to organic farming and avoid the use of pesticides, and they had little experience or help with the transition. Yuichiro Nuruki's father, however, was not intimidated and today the Nuruki Tea Factory proudly produces premium organic teas that are notable for their strong character and nutritional benefits.

Flavour

The seed variety Benifuuki is a cross of Camellia sinensis var. sinensis and var. assamica. It forms the largest amount of special bitter substances (EGCG, ECG, mehtylated catechins) in the young leaves of the 1st harvest of all green tea varieties. In the late harvest, the tea still has a very high content of catechins. The high solar radiation and the very fertile, volcanic soil in South Kiran further promote this. For this tea is deliberately selected only the 3rd harvest, which receives extremely high sun until August. The tea tastes strong and noble bitter and is nevertheless balanced and quaffable.

Leaf

Typical for benifuuki: broken and coarse, few stems, medium green

Cup

Dark sunflower yellow with a green hue

Benifuuki tea is a relatively new type of Japanese green tea that is appreciated for its nutritional richness. Of all green teas, benifuuki has the highest concentration of catechins (EGCG, ECG, methylated catechins EGCG3"Me / -4"Me). This tea is especially robust in flavour with a distinctly bitter aroma. Premium benifuuki have a balanced flavour despite the high concentration of bitter substances (catechins).

We go to great lengths to identify the finest organic tea farms across the world’s most celebrated terroirs. All our teas are sourced directly from the farmer and, with a few exceptions, are certified organic or come from pesticide-free farms. Each batch of tea for every harvest is tested for pesticides and other pollutants in an independent German lab to ensure they meet our strict quality standards as well as HACCP food safety requirements. Likewise, the regions of Japan from which we source our teas are tested for radioactivity for every harvest.

Premium Organic Teas

Our comprehensive portfolio focuses on organic, single-origin teas sourced directly from renowned farms. We believe in creating partnerships with farmers who share our values and are committed to sustainable, responsible tea cultivation. Thanks to these strong relationships our exciting range is constantly growing and evolving. As an international team of dedicated and passionate tea experts, we are committed to preserving centuries-old tea culture while ensuring it remains relevant and continues to bring joy in the present. About Yoshi En.

Cultivation & Processing

The tea field is located in the fertile lands of southern Chiran in Kagoshima, Japan. The sun shines intensely over these coastal lowlands, thus encouraging the synthesis of bitter substances in the tea plants. The tea field has been certified organic since 1998 and utilises self-produced natural fertiliser that is fermented for 3 years and made from a nutritious combination of bamboo powder and mineral-rich stone. The fertile volcanic soil is further complemented by the ashes that are carried by the wind from the nearby active volcano, Mt. Sakurajima.

The tea farmer takes special pride in the use of older, traditional rolling and drying machinery that is made of bamboo rather than plastic. The bamboo components ensure the high quality of the tea during processing.

The benifuuki tea is steamed only briefly (according to the asamushi steaming method), in order to preserve the special, methylated catechins in the tea leaves.

Single Origin

This tea is exclusively sourced from the above mentioned tea farm in Chiran.

Sourced directly from the tea farmer.

Organic Certification

Preparation

Brewing Guide

2 heaped tsp per 200-300ml (60°C) water. Steep for 2 minutes. Suitable for several infusions.

Packaging

High quality, airtight, resealable standing zipper pouch with 9 protective layers to preserve flavour and protect against oxidation and contamination.

Recommended Teapot

The ideal teapot for benifuuki is a black tokoname kyusu with a fine ceramic sieve. This style of teapot smoothes out the flavour of the bitter substances, and is a great all-rounder for green teas.

Recommended Storage

Ideally store in a quality tea caddy made from cherry tree bark (wooden, kabazaiku chazutsu) or an airtight, double-coated metal tin.

Test results

We find it very important that our teas are pure and produced in a way that respects the environment. For this reason, each one of our teas is tested for pesticide residues by an independent laboratory, the results of which can be found here. Some of our teas are also tested for specific nutritional compounds, in which case the test results are also published here.

Confirmation of analysis

See tests

Benifuuki
Sanbancha Organic

Tea Farm