Daidai hōjicha (橙ほうじ茶) – Tōzaka Chaen, 50g

Daidai Hōjicha (橙ほうじ茶), 50 grams

Blend of cultivars, mixed with dried peel of Nagasaki-grown daidai (an Asian variety of bitter orange)

Tea farmer Tōzaka Koichi makes some of the smoothest hōjicha teas we have encountered yet, but he also masters the art of blending these smooth teas with locally (Nagasaki prefecture) grown citrus fruit. In the hot summer weather we have become incredibly fond of both Tōzaka’s Yuzu Hōjicha and Dadai Hōjicha blends.

Daidai, a variety of bitter orange that can last several years on the tree if not picked, is not commonly consumed due to its bitterness. We can however taste hardly even a hint of bitterness in this Daidai hōjicha blend.

The contrast between the hot brewed version and the coldbrew is surprising: think of the hot brewed Daidai hōjicha as a cosy tea to warm you up on a cold night, perhaps there’s a whiff of glühwein in the air (but without the cinnamon). Sweet brown sugar, round, balanced and smooth, orange marmalade, candied orange, marzipan…

Now contrast that with a cold brew of the same tea: a lighter, refreshing tea with sweet orange blossom and nectar. Imagine yourself in an orchard under the Mediterranean summer sun, with a glass of freshly squeezed blood orange juice paired with buttery almond petit fours.