Hōjicha

Hōjicha is a roasted Japanese green tea with a character quite unlike most teas from Japan. Where other Japanese greens are steamed to preserve their fresh, vegetal notes, Hōjicha takes a different path — the leaves are slowly roasted, transforming the flavour into something toasty, sweet, and gently caramel-like, with notes of cinnamon.

Our Hōjicha is typically made from Sanbancha — third-flush Bancha leaves from the Kagoshima Prefecture in southern Japan. Bancha is a mature, later-harvest leaf; combined with the roasting process, this gives Hōjicha its characteristic mildness and low caffeine content.

After steaming and air-drying (as with all Japanese green teas), the leaves are slowly roasted at low temperature. This process drives off much of the remaining caffeine and develops pyrazines — the compounds responsible for Hōjicha's distinctive roasted aroma. The result is a reddish-brown leaf that brews a clear, amber cup.

Nutty, toasty, and gently sweet, with no bitterness. A natural choice for evenings, or any time you want a warming cup without a caffeine hit.