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What is the difference between shaded and unshaded kukicha?
This comparison set allows you to taste two different kukicha side-by-side: our Karigane and Green Kukicha. Karigane is a tea type that is made mostly of gyokuro stems, while our Green Kukicha is made mostly of sencha stems.
Kukicha (AKA "stem tea" or "twig tea") itself is known to contain less caffeine and more L-theanine than the leaves, as much of the L-theanine in the tea plant is found in the stems. L-theanine imparts an umami, slightly savory note to the tea. Because there is less caffeine and more L-theanine, kukicha is known to have a milder flavor than leaf tea. This is especially true of Karigane, as the shading it goes through preserves more L-theanine.
When brewed side-by-side, we believe you will find differences in the color, aroma, and flavor of these teas. The Green Kukicha is a little more robust than the Karigane, while the Karigane is appreciated for its more delicate, marine-like flavor. It is our wish that you will be able to parse out these differences and appreciate them both!
Each set comes with 1 oz of Green Kukicha and 1 oz of Karigane.