This fantastic sencha is clearly one of the most interesting new teas we have discovered this year and added to our tea list. So much so that we’ve written a Blog post to expand on this tea a little further, which you can read here:
The Sun Rouge cultivar is actually quite new and still very rare in Japan, but numerous scientific studies have been made with it because the cultivar was deleveloped with its therapeutic properties in mind. It’s actually a cross between Camellia Sinensis and Camellia Taliensis!
It has very high levels of antioxidants, flavonoids (catechins), especially anthocyanin, which is the main interest in scientific investigations, since past studies have demonstrate its unique, positive effects on the human body, particularly the human eye, anti-inflammatory effects (particularly bowel inflammation), preventive effect on the cardiovascular system, antiviral and antibacterial effects, etc.
The tea is interesting from a flavor profile as well. As with other teas that are high in anthocyanin (such as the purple bud and purple leaf puerh, white tea and green tea we offer and have blogged about), you’ll find the tea to have a very pleasant bitterness, but with surprising fruity notes of raspberries and blackberries.
What really catches our attention however is the color of the leaves, which are dark grenish-purple but become a beautiful Qing blue when infused.
You’ll also be surprised by the purple color of the infusion… You’ll be wondering if this really is a green tea! This fascinating appearance becomes even more engagingly interesting when we add a few drops of freshly squeezed lemon juice (which is actually recommended to achieve a higher absorbency of its beneficial health substances). You’ll feel like a child as you watch the dark purple turn to a bright pink and finally magnifecent rouge color (hence the name Sun-Rouge).
This tea is grown exclusively on Tokunoshima island, located between Okinawa and Taiwan.
We recommend you brew this tea differently when drinking casually and when drinking for the health properties.
As a casual tea, brew at 70-75 (1min, 40sec, 1.5 min)
For a greater therapeutic effect, brew with 70 degree water for 5 minutes and add a few drops of lemon juice.
Origin: Tokunoshima Island, Japan
Harvest: Spring, 2016
Color of liquor: purple
Aroma: steamed bitter leaves, mustard leaf, kale, straw
Flavor: bitter, astringent, raspberry, citrus
Temperature: 70º c
Steeping Time: 1min; 40sec; 1,5min…
Photos:
Contrast of dry and wet leaves and color of infusion (before and after adding lemon)
Field of Sunrouge cultivar
Dry Leaf
Steeped Leaf
Color of Steeping
For more information on this new varietal: http://www.greentea.net/sunrouge-tea/