Yakushima Black

A black tea from Yakushima, an island off the south coast of Kagoshima whose outstanding natural beauty is protected as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Mr Watanabe and two other friends started the tea estate over 15 years ago to make the most of Yakushima’s unusual location and pristine environment – free from mass farming and pesticide use – and have been farming ecologically on their small farm ever since.

Although Watanabe-san mainly produces sencha and other forms of green tea, he does make a small amount of this brisk, gently sweet black tea. Sharing similarities with some high-end darjeelings, it has a slightly heady floral note chasing a smooth honey aroma, along with a soya bean note that we sometimes find in Japanese blacks.  This year’s black tea is slightly malty and goes very well with milk when pushed a bit stronger.

ORIGIN
Mr Watanabe’s Tea Farm, Yakushima Island, Kagoshima, Japan

SIZE OF FARM
12 acres

PLANTS AND PROCESSING
Camellia Sinensis Sinensis. Kanaya Midori cultivar. 2025 Harvest

BREWING
90°C, 4g per cup. 2 infusions. Can take milk

PLEASE NOTE
250g Refill option is only available online or via ‘Collect from Postcard Teas’ for shop collection, two working days after purchase.