Single Cultivar Sencha Meiryoku LIMITED QUANTITY

We are excited to introduce single-cultivar sencha Meiryoku as our first limited-edition tea from the 2024 harvest. The name Meiryoku comes from the Chinese characters mei (茗), often used for “tea” in China, and ryoku (緑), meaning green. Its name is a play on words as in Japanese, “mei” is often written using the character 明, meaning “clear”, paying homage to the vibrant green yet crystal clear liquor of this cultivar’s brew. 

Meiryoku is a cross between the Yabukita and Yamato Midori cultivars, developed in 1959 at the Kanaya Tea Research Center. Its resilience against drought and disease, overall easiness to cultivate, and high yield make it a favorite among farmers. Due to the fact that it does not require much fertilizer, it is also a cultivar with a low environmental impact. 

Our Meiryoku was grown in the Chiran region of Kagoshima. Characteristic of sencha grown in this area, it is shaded several days prior to harvesting. Meiryoku boasts a sweet aroma with hints of shortbread, grape, and hibiscus. Its flavor is milky with a light yet lasting umami, medium astringency, light bitterness, and notes of asparagus.