B-JP-050

Japanese Black (Wakoucha)

和紅茶

Single cultivar black, from Shizuoka, Japan.

Black tea

Japanese Black (Wakoucha) is strongest on sweetness, smoothness and body. Typical tasting words: honey, dried fig, baked bread, peach, brown sugar. Japan produced black tea for export in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, but modern wakoucha saw a revival from the 1990s onward. Typically consumed straight without milk, prized for its natural mild sweetness and lack of heavy bitterness.

Also known as Wakoucha, Wakocha and Japanese Black Tea.

Compare

The profile

Taste, 0 to 5

sweetness4bitterness1astringency2umami2brightness2body3smoothness4aroma intensity3finish length3

Flavour families, 0 to 5

floral1fruity3vegetal0marine0nutty1toasty1malty2honey3spicy1woody2earthy1smoky0creamy1citrus1stone fruit2tropical0cocoa1caramel2

Facts

Origin: Shizuoka, Japan
Plant: Camellia sinensis var. sinensis, Benifuuki or Yabukita
Harvest: second flush or summer harvest
Elevation: low
Oxidation: 85 to 95%
Roast: very light
Leaf: twisted
Price band: mid-range
Availability: fairly common
Ageing: a little
Forgiving to brew: 4 of 5
L-theanine: moderate

Made by: withering, then rolling, then oxidation, then drying.

Caffeine

A cup of Japanese Black (Wakoucha) carries a typical estimate of 45 mg of caffeine, within a range of 30 to 60 mg depending on leaf amount, water temperature and steeping time. Figures are estimates for a 240 ml cup. Better earlier in the day if you are sensitive to caffeine. The caffeine planner turns this into a daily total.

How to brew it

Method	Leaf	Water	Steeps
Western, 250 ml	3 g	90 to 95 °C	2.5 min, 3 min, 4 min
Gongfu, 100 ml	5 g	90 to 95 °C	20 s, 25 s, 35 s, 50 s, 70 s, 90 s
Cold brew, 250 ml	2.5 g	Fridge	8 to 12 hours

Up to 6 infusions. Scale for your own pot with the brew calculator.

Drinking it

morning
afternoon
afternoon
relaxing
dessert_pairing

Pairs with pastry, sweets and scones_cakes. Milk: no. Iced: yes. Sweetener: no. Good for beginners: yes.