Kyoto Obubu Tea Farms’ Suzume Roasted Kukicha | Tea Review

After my matcha post a few months ago, I realized I hadn’t had a kukicha (steam/twig tea) in a while! So, I decided to share this roasted variation with everyone!

Description: “Smooth with a rounded finish, Suzume has a warm sweetness with hints of mocha.”

Instructions: 5 grams, 180ml boiling water, 30 seconds, poured in a circular motion, keep lid off

Review: Kukicha is made from the stems and veins of the tea leaf. It was originally the by-product of matcha or sencha production and can be roasted or unroasted. I personally have only had unroasted kukicha, so I was very intrigued when I saw this in my quarterly Obubu Tea Club subscription box.

The dry leaves were mostly unified short twigs and the occasional longer twigs. It has a dark ashy brown colour with a strong roasted, nutty, and charcoal smell. The smell of the tea reminded me of a hojicha (a roasted green tea).

After a 30 second infusion, the liquor was a tan copper-brown colour with a roasted, nutty, and charcoal smell. The taste was dominated by charcoal followed by pine, campfire, hazelnuts, and dark chocolate. The sip ended with some smoky notes coating the tongue and dryness at the back of the throat. The tea reminded me of a mild hojicha and I can why the “mocha” comparison in the description. The wet leaves smelled of damp earth, bark, charcoal and roasted nuts.

I tried the Suzume Roasted Kukicha with a coffee roll cake and it was a lovely afternoon snack and pairing. The coffee flavour melded well with the roasted nutty and chocolate notes of the tea and brought out more of the “mocha” flavours. As a bonus, the cream of the cake removed some of the dryness at the back of the throat.

Overall, it is a nice tea for a morning sip or an afternoon drink. This would be nice for anyone who would enjoys roasted teas like hojicha or are interested in roasted teas (3/5 rating).

The question of the post: Have you had kukicha before? If so, roasted or unroasted?