Guardian of the brand — responsible for the taste of every cup.
We do not think of the tea master as simply an appraiser. The tea master is the guardian of the brand: facing leaves that change every year with climate and growing conditions, at times recreating the unchanging taste of Kyoto Chanokura, at times drawing out the fullest character of that year's tea — bearing final responsibility for the taste of every cup.
At the heart of our quality stands tea master Keisuke Hori, holder of the tenth dan — the highest rank in Japan's tea appraisal competitions. In the contest's history of more than eighty years, only a handful of masters nationwide have been certified tenth dan.
From appraising raw leaf to blending and the final sensory inspection — every tea we ship passes his eye and palate before it reaches you.
To recreate an unchanging taste amid a changing climate — or, when a particular year and field stand out, to leave the leaf unblended and let its once-in-a-lifetime character speak. Deciding which path to take is itself the tea master's work.
He also designs for the seasons — the youthful freshness of new tea, and the deep, matured character of autumn tea aged over the summer (kuchikiri).
Alongside instrumental analysis, the tea master's senses are the final measure.
Compared against standard colour samples: are brightness and saturation within range? Are the particles uniform?
The dry aroma before hot water, and the infusion aroma after. Any trace of oxidation?
Brewed, whisked, and drunk. Judging the balance of sweetness, umami, bitterness, and astringency.
Felt between the fingers, checking moisture content and the fineness of the particles.
The tea master's work is one with our system of quality.
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