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Kukicha is usually made from the stems and stalks of sencha. In the Kyoto area, kukicha is called "karigane" and is made from gyokuro.
Den's Karigane is made of 100% first flush gyokuro kukicha grown in Asahina, Shizuoka--one of the prestige gyokuro producing areas of Japan.
Gyokuro leaves contain higher levels of theanine than sencha leaves. Theanine gives the tea a slightly sweet umami profile. Kukicha ("twig tea") is known to contain higher levels theanine than the leaves themselves. Consequently, you can imagine that the stems of gyokuro, a tea that already has much theanine, would have even more. Therefore, you might find that Den's Karigane has more umami than gyokuro while still having gyokuro's seaweed like aroma and flavor. This tea possesses some green vegetable notes found in standard kukicha.
Origin: Asahina, Shizuoka
Harvest: First Flush
Cultivar: Yabukita & Okumidori
Tasting Profile:
Similar to gyokuro, karigane has a good level of umami. Like kukicha, it also has a mild green vegetable flavor. The vegetable flavor lingers for a while and the umami comes back as an aftertaste.
Karigane is a tea that can be brewed "casually". Try a slightly higher water temperature or vary the brewing time to find the flavor that suits your taste.
Den's Preferred Brewing:
Leaf-water ratio: 2-3 g (~1 tsp)/4 oz
Water: 180°F; Steep: 60 sec
2nd Cup Water: Boiled; Steep 15 sec