Honyama First-Pick High Grade Hojicha

Tea Profile Type: Hojicha Region: Shizuoka Farmer: The Saito Family   Tasting Notes Aroma: Mulberry leaves, hazelnut, toasted grain Taste: Roasted hazels, chocolate, with a very smooth and comforting presence   The Story This is absolutely one of the best hojichas we've ever had. You can straight-up eat the tea leaves - they just melt in your mouth. It has a wonderful fragrant aroma that can fill a room, and is roasty, cozy, and comforting. It's balanced, mellow, and mildly sweet. Toasty, a bit chocolately, and with zero bitterness. It serves beautifully hot, coldbrewed, or iced - we like this one a lot. This hojicha is from Honyama in Shizuoka - a place with a long history as an important tea growing region in Japan, going back to the very beginning of the Edo period, when it's said that the shogun Tokugawa favored the tea there. Saito-san is a bit of a legend himself. By everyone's estimate he's the 18th generation tea grower in his family, which dates back essentially to