Hanamichi

Tea Review: Kaga Bocha (Yunomi)

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Porter) — Mon, 02 Nov 2026 01:48:00 +0000

Kaga Bocha

Yunomi
Type: Green
Origin: Japan, Shizuoka & Ishikawa Prefecture
Product Description:

The region of Ishikawa Prefecture was once called Kaga and has a centuries-long history of roasting the stems of tea leaves. Though the region itself doesn't have a large commercial tea agriculture industry, they are masters at roasting leaf stems from other parts of Japan.

BOWCHA is our partner in this region, and has provided us with a light roast of high grade spring tea leaf stems.

Temperature: 194° F

Amount: 3 grams
Steeping Time: 1 minute

The dry leaves have an aroma of ground nuts and nut shells.

The flavor and aroma of the golden infusion is roasty with notes of cooked root vegetables, specifically lotus root, and nuts.

The fullest flavor was in the first infusion, mellowing significantly after each infusion. The mellower roasty aroma and flavor was still quite pleasant.

This tea was purchased by me.

Tea Review: Genmai Hojicha (Yunomi/Zenkouen Tea Garden)

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Porter) — Fri, 30 Oct 2026 05:15:14 +0000

Genmai Hojicha/無肥料自然栽培玄米焙じ茶
Zenkouen Tea Garden/Yunomi
Type: Green
Origin: Japan, Shizuoka Prefecture, Shimada
Product Description:

Have you ever tried a genmaicha with a hojicha base? The Zenkouen Tea Garden has created this genmai hojicha by blending their naturally grown hojicha (roasted green tea) and rice made by Norio Narizawa in Tome City, Miyagi Prefecture. For the rice, they utilise both roasted rice and brown rice at a ratio of 1:2. Please enjoy the elegant taste and aroma of this tea! A wonderful accompaniment to your meals.
Temperature: 194° F
Amount: 3 grams
Steeping Time: 1 minute

The dry leaves have a bold aroma of roasted nut shells with a hint of salty nori.

The light golden infusion has a deeply savory aroma of roasted nut shells and dashi broth. The taste has savory notes of roasted nuts and vegetables.

This tea was deliciously savory and roasty throughout three infusions with the fullest flavor in the first two. I especially enjoyed the dashi broth-like notes.

This tea was purchased by me.

Tea Review: Golden Snail (Barnes and Morgan)

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Porter) — Thu, 29 Oct 2026 05:23:37 +0000

Golden Snail

Barnes and Morgan
Type: Black
Origin: Not provided
Product Description:

Honey scented black tea
Temperature: 205° F

Amount: 5 grams
Steeping Time: 3-4 minutes

The dry leaves have aroma notes of berries, antique wood, oats, and nut shells.

The copper orange liquor has an aroma and flavor of warm berries and honey with a berry-like finish.

This tea was delicious when brewed at 194° F and 205° F with bolder flavor and mild astringency developing after a 4 minute steep at the higher temperature. The fullest flavor was in the first 2 infusions.

This tea was purchased by me.

Tea Review: Tanegashima Single Cultivar Sencha - Yutaka Midori (Yunomi/Iba Yu Tea Garden)

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Porter) — Sat, 24 Oct 2026 02:43:41 +0000

Tanegashima Single Cultivar Sencha - Yutaka Midori

Iba Yu Tea Garden/Yunomi
Type: Green
Origin: Japan, Kagoshima Prefecture, Tanegashima Island
Product Description: Not provided.

Temperature: 160° F
Amount: 3 grams
Steeping Time: 30-60 seconds

The dry leaves have an aroma of sweet grass and nuts.

The pale yellow-green liquor has a sharp green and nutty aroma. The taste has notes of nuts and sweet green grass.

For the purpose of this review, the first steeping was 1 minute, the second was 30 seconds, and the third was 1 minute. This tea had a fresh green flavor and aroma that reminded me of the first warm days of springtime.

This tea was purchased by me.

Tea Review: Gobocha/Burdock Root Tea (Yunomi/Yamane-en)

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Porter) — Fri, 23 Oct 2026 00:59:17 +0000

Gobocha/Burdock Root Tea

Yamane-en/Yunomi
Type: Herbal
Origin: Japan, Miyazaki & Kagoshima Prefectures
Product Description:

Burdock Root Tea (or Gobocha in Japanese) is a caffeine-free Japanese tea made with burdock roots. The tea has recently gained popularity in Japan due to its potential health benefits that it is now common to come across this tisane in stores. The roots of burdock are often utilized in Japanese cuisine and have a sweet flavor filled with woodiness. If you are familiar with sunchokes, burdock roots are similar in earthiness (although they are quite different in shape) but a bit more fibrous.

Yamane-en's burdock root tea is also a bit unique as the burdock is cut in small pieces. That means that you can even eat the burdock as you drink your tea. If you prefer not to, you can enjoy the burdock later in your miso soup or as a rice topping, kind of like how you would repurpose used Japanese tea leaves.

Production involved deep steaming the root, then roasting it with a heat source that generates far infrared waves penetrating deep and roasting thoroughly.

Temperature: 194° F
Amount: 3 grams
Steeping Time: 3 minutes

The dry tisane has an aroma of nuts and root vegetables, specifically gobo.

The liquor is bright orange with a rich aroma of gobo and nuts. The taste has notes of nuts, gobo, and potato skin.

I cook with gobo occasionally, so I'm pleased to say that this tisane tasted as good and probably better thanks to the roasting. This was flavorful throughout 3 infusions with an interesting peppery note popping in by the third.

This tea was purchased by me.

Tea Review: Hong Cha South Korean Red Tea (Roots and Rituals)

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Porter) — Mon, 19 Oct 2026 03:35:52 +0000

Hong Cha South Korean Red Tea

Roots and Rituals
Type: Black
Origin: South Korea, Boseong
Product Description:
Hong Cha, South Korea’s exquisite interpretation of black tea, is produced in small batches from handpicked summer leaves. This premium tea undergoes an oxidation process that deepens its color and develops its rich, complex flavor. Grown on a sustainable farm in Boseong, Hong Cha embodies a unique terroir influenced by misty mountains and ancient tea trees. The result is a smooth, full-bodied tea with layered notes of dark fruit, cocoa, and warm spices.

Temperature: 194° F

Amount: 3 grams
Steeping Time: 2 minutes

The dry leaf aroma has notes of fruit, nut shell, aged wood, and dark bread.

The liquor is copper red with a baked fruit aroma and a taste of baked fruit with a hint of honey and no astringency.

The best and fullest flavor is in the first two infusions with aroma notes that reminded me of dark fruit cake. While I was delighted by the results from 2 minute infusions in 194° F water, this is a flexible black tea and handles higher water temperatures nicely for those who prefer something stronger.

This tea was purchased by me.

Tea Review: Mountain-Grown Second Flush Wakocha Yabukita Black Tea (Yunomi/Murakami Tea Garden)

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Porter) — Sun, 18 Oct 2026 00:59:29 +0000

Mountain-Grown Second Flush Wakocha Yabukita Black Tea/和紅茶やぶきた
Murakami Tea Garden/Yunomi
Type: Black
Origin: Japan, Shizuoka Prefecture, Yoshiwara
Product Description:
The Yabukita cultivar is the standard in Japan representing 75% of Japanese tea fields. The bitterness in this cultivar makes for a balanced black tea.
Temperature: 203° F
Amount: 3 grams
Steeping Time: 3 minutes

The dry leaf aroma has notes of sweet oats and muscat.

The dark red liquor has an aroma of baked fruit, squash, and green vine. The taste has notes of baked fruit and cooked grains.

This was a solidly enjoyable black tea with the fullest flavor in the first two infusions. While I found the ideal balance for my taste with 3 minute infusions, a higher water temperature and longer steeping time will have bolder results for those who prefer it.

This tea was purchased by me.

Mui-an Teahouse at Hōgon-in Temple

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Porter) — Wed, 14 Oct 2026 19:24:36 +0000

While visiting Arashiyama in 2024, I had the opportunity to enjoy tea at Mui-an (無畏庵), a teahouse located inside the Lion's Roar Garden (Shishiku no Niwa/獅子吼の庭) on the grounds of Hōgon-in temple (宝厳院).

Mui-an exterior viewed from outside the tea garden.

The garden is only open to the public for special viewing events, usually in spring and autumn. During these events, tea can be enjoyed at the teahouse for a small fee paid separately from the entry fee.

Signs point to the garden entrance for the special autumn viewing.

Mui-an is a sukiya-style chashitsu (teahouse) with sliding doors, tatami mats, and a tokonoma alcove. One side of the tea room is open so you can enjoy an uninterrupted view of the garden.

Mui-an interior with tatami mats, hanging wall scroll, and floral arrangement.

Tea and sweets with a view of the garden.

Guests are provided with a bowl of matcha and a rakugan sweet from Kyoto confectionery Kogetsu (鼓月), pressed with a maple leaf image specific to Hogon-in.

Matcha with rakugan sweet

Hōgon-in (宝厳院) was established in 1461 and later became a sub-temple of Tenryū-ji temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Lion's Roar Garden, named for the metaphor for Buddhist teachings, was created by Zen monk Sakugen Shūryō during the Muromachi period in the latter 16th century. The garden style is shakkei or borrowed scenery, which means that the existing landscape of Arashiyama was incorporated into the garden's design.

A tree-lined path through Shishiku no Niwa

A moss-covered area in Shishiku no Niwa

Tea Review: Houjicha (Yamanashi Shouten)

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Porter) — Wed, 14 Oct 2026 02:29:02 +0000

Houjicha/ほうじ茶

Yamanashi Shouten/山梨商店
Type: Green
Origin: Japan, Shizuoka Prefecture
Product Description:

This hojicha (roasted green tea) has a soft sweetness and fragrant flavor, achieved through short-time, high-temperature roasting.
Temperature: 194° F
Amount: 3 grams
Steeping Time: 2 minutes

The dry leaf aroma has notes of roasted nuts, salt, and a hint of smoke.

The orange-amber infusion has a savory flavor and aroma of roasted vegetables and roasted nuts with a lightly sweet and nutty finish.

This houjicha was offered to guests alongside the tea they selected at the Momijiyama Garden teahouse in Shizuoka City. I enjoyed it so much that I bought a package to bring home. The flavor notes that reminded me just a little of roasted kabocha were particularly interesting. The fullest flavor was in the first two infusions.

This tea was purchased by me.

Tea Review: Limited Edition Chiran Shincha Kaoru (Yunomi/JA Kagoshima Chagyo)

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Porter) — Mon, 12 Oct 2026 00:51:39 +0000

Limited Edition Chiran Shincha Kaoru
JA Kagoshima Chagyo/Yunomi
Type: Green
Origin: Japan, Kagoshima Prefecture, Chiran Village
Product Description:

A blend of 100% Kagoshima-grown first flush green tea leaves. It has a simple flavor but rich, deep aroma.
Temperature: 160° F
Amount: 3 grams
Steeping Time: 30-60 seconds

The dry leaf aroma is savory with nutty, marine green, and edamame-like notes.

The aroma of the light yellow-green infusion is rich, buttery, and nutty with notes of green grass and edamame. The taste has nutty and spring green notes.

As with most fukamushi (deep-steamed) teas, the first infusion was lighter in flavor with a clear broth while the second and third infusions brewed thick, opaque, and bright green with bolder flavor notes. A 1 minute initial infusion followed by 30 second infusions worked well to get the most from this tea.

This tea was purchased by me.

Tea Review: Premium Lapsang Souchong (Experience Tea)

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Porter) — Sun, 11 Oct 2026 03:19:05 +0000

Premium Lapsang Souchong

Experience Tea
Type: Flavored Black
Origin: China
Product Description:

One of the first black teas ever made for export to Europe–the Chinese made this tea in the WuYi Mountains where they only had pine to heat for their tea processing. The taste of the pine fire permeated the tea and the rest is history! Prepare this tea and add hot steamed milk and sugar, agave or whatever sweetener suits you–it is a wonderful, sweet campfire in your mouth.
Temperature: 208° F
Amount: 3 grams
Steeping Time: 3 minutes

The dry leaves have a heavy aroma of pine smoke.

The coppery orange infusion has an aroma of pine smoke. The taste is smoky, lightly sweet, and smooth with a smoky-sweet finish.

I was pleasantly surprised by the smoothness of this tea as I often come across more astringent variations. The first two infusions had the best and fullest flavor. While I was very happy with the results from a 3 minute steep, a little more leaf and a longer steeping time would work well for those who prefer a bolder brew.

This tea was purchased by me.

Tea Review: Premium Blend Gyokuro (Charaku)

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Porter) — Thu, 08 Oct 2026 02:22:13 +0000

Premium Blend Gyokuro

Charaku
Type: Green
Origin: Japan, Shizuoka Prefecture, Okabe, Asahina Valley
Product Description:

This special blend of cultivars infuses from a light green on the first infusion and opens up to deeper greens on latter infusions. Full mouthfeel and texture on multiple infusions. Initial aromas and tastes are mildly grassy with a hint of salinity. Plenty of amami (sweetness) as characteristic with most Gyokuro with just a hint of shibumi (astringency) at the finish. Later infusions continue smooth with umami richness and a fine balance of amami (sweetness) and shibumi (astringency).

Good Gyokuro is often compared to a fine dashi (broth) and this tea is full in the mouth with an herbaceous, sweet, and slight marine flavors. A low temperature is needed to bring out the "amami," or sweetness, and low astringency for which gyokuro is known.

Temperature: 160° F
Amount: 3 grams
Steeping Time: 30 seconds - 2 minutes

The dry leaves have an aroma of nuts, sweet oats, and a hint of marine green.

The aroma of the light jade green liquor is savory and sweet with buttery notes of nuts and cooked edamame. The taste is savory, nutty and lightly buttery with edamame notes and a sweet green and nutty finish.

For the purpose of this review, I followed the brewing recommendations on the package, steeping the first infusion for 2 minutes, the second for 1 minute, and the third for 30 seconds. The umami was most pronounced in the first infusion while the sweet green and nutty finish became notably lengthier by the second.

This tea was purchased by me.

Tea Review: Uji Gyokuro Houjicha (Tsujiri Honten)

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Porter) — Wed, 07 Oct 2026 01:55:49 +0000

Uji Gyokuro Houjicha/宇治玉楼ほうじ茶
Tsujirihei Honten/辻利兵衛本店
Type: Green
Origin: Japan, Kyoto Prefecture, Uji
Product Description: Not provided.

Temperature: 194° F
Amount: 3 grams
Steeping Time: 1-3 minutes

The dry leaf aroma is rich with notes of roasted chestnuts and a hint of smoke.

The dark reddish-brown infusion has an aroma and flavor reminiscent of roasted chestnuts and cocoa with a long, rich, roasty finish.

This is a particularly lovely version of karigane houjicha with the rich cocoa-like notes that I most look forward to. I began by steeping the tea for 1 minute and found that the flavor carried forward by adding 1 minute to each subsequent infusion. While the best flavor was in the first two infusions, the third was only slightly less nuanced and quite enjoyable.

This tea was purchased in-person at the main store in Uji. It is sold online through Rakuten.

This tea was purchased by me.

Tea Review: Ginger Tings (Barnes and Morgan)

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Porter) — Tue, 06 Oct 2026 03:17:33 +0000

Ginger Tings

Barnes and Morgan
Type: Herbal
Origin: Not provided
Product Description: Not provided.

Temperature: 205° F
Amount: 5 grams
Steeping Time: 3 minutes

The dry leaf blend includes ginger, dried apple, orange peel, and mint.

The pale yellow infusion has a bold aroma of ginger with lighter notes of mint and citrus. The taste is bold with ginger at the front and light notes of citrus and mint followed by a sweet refreshing minty finish.

This tea blend was invigoratingly spicy and refreshing throughout three infusions with no notable loss in flavor.

This tea was purchased by me.

Tea Review: 2024 Aged Shizuoka Black Tea (Yunomi/Tarui Tea Farm)

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Porter) — Mon, 05 Oct 2026 02:27:48 +0000

2024 Aged Shizuoka Black Tea
Tarui Tea Farm/Yunomi
Type: Black
Origin: Japan, Shizuoka Prefecture, Nearaicho
Product Description:

Artisanal tea farmer Takayuki Tarui's black tea is cultivated pesticide free and without synthetic fertilizers. It is harvested in the last two weeks of June and "fermented" with Tarui-san's own method to create a smooth flavor profile that doesn't need to be sweetened.

Tarui-san ages this tea in his warehouse dedicated to aging tea leaves, allowing the leaf to develop into a black tea that will leave you in smiles!

Temperature: 185-194° F
Amount: 3 grams
Steeping Time: 2-3 minutes

The dry leaf aroma has notes of aged wood, nut shell, and a hint of dried shiitake.

The copper red infusion has a rich aroma of roasted squash, snap peas, and a hint of chestnuts. The taste is rich with note of snow peas, roasted vegetables, mild-to-moderate astringency, and a sweet roasted chestnut-like finish.

For the initial infusion of this black tea, I followed the recommendations on the package, steeping for 3 minutes at 194° F. The results were bold with roasted vegetal notes and moderate astringency and a dry finish. For my preference, I found the results most flavorful and delicious by steeping the tea for 2 minutes in 185° F water which resulted in no notable astringency with notes of cooked snow peas, lightly caramelized vegetables, and a sweet chestnut-like finish.

This tea was purchased by me.

Tea Review: Tanegashima Island Nanmei Single Cultivar Sencha (Yunomi/Iba Takahiro Tea Garden)

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Porter) — Wed, 16 Sep 2026 04:07:10 +0000

Tanegashima Island Nanmei Single Cultivar Sencha

Iba Takahiro Tea Garden/Yunomi
Type: Green
Origin: Japan, Kagoshima Prefecture, Tanegashima Island
Product Description: Not provided.

Temperature: 140°-176° F

Amount: 3 grams
Steeping Time: 1-2 minutes

The dry leaf aroma is sweet, green, and nutty.

The pale green liquor has an aroma of nuts, green beans, and edamame. The taste is nutty and almost sweet with fresh green vegetal and edamame notes.

I started out by following the preparation instructions on the package for the first two infusions, using 140° F water and steeping for 40 seconds. For the third infusion, I steeped the tea for 1 minute using 176° F water. The results at both temperatures were tasty with lighter flavor and slightly more nuance at the lower temperature and no astringency at either temperature. The first infusion was nuttier with fresh green vegetable-like notes moving forward by the second and full flavor continuing into the third.

This tea was purchased by me.

Barnes & Morgan

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Porter) — Tue, 25 Aug 2026 02:41:58 +0000

Barnes & Morgan is a tea room and bespoke garment studio located in the historic Merchant Hotel building (1880) in Portland, Oregon's Old Town neighborhood.

Owner Amir Morgan's parents encouraged his creative self-expression through fashion. Tea was a part of his family's daily routine and he was inspired to bring these integral parts of his life together and create Barnes & Morgan, a combination of his parents' surnames, opening for business in February 2023.

The tea room at the front has good lighting and plentiful seating. Here you can enjoy a cup or several of freshly brewed tea and shop for loose leaf tea, teaware, and fashion accessories.

Through the curtained archway is another room with ample seating, ideal for community events, surrounded by racks of Amir's ready-to-wear garments, all of which are available for purchase. Barnes and Morgan also offers garment fittings and tailoring.

The tea room currently offers bottomless self-serve tasting flights rather than individual tea service. When we visited, the tea flight included Golden Snail, Ginger Tings, Sierra Blend, Rosella & Friends, Green Roselle, Blooming Dragon, Earl Grey Citrus, and Citrus Puerh.

For this visit, I started out with a cup of Golden Snail black tea paired with a Black Sesame Madeleine. I eventually worked my way through each of the teas and brought home a few of my favorites.

On Saturdays Barnes & Morgan hosts R&B & Tea where the community is invited to drop in for tea, conversation, and music from a live DJ. Follow Barnes & Morgan on Instagram and check out their reels for the latest events and updates!

Address:
131 NW 2nd Ave, Portland, OR 97209

Hours:
Friday & Sunday 12:00pm - 5:00pm

Saturday 11:00am - 5:00pm
Closed Monday-Thursday

Tea Shout-Out: Roste Chocolate House

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Porter) — Wed, 05 Aug 2026 21:33:11 +0000

The Tea Shout-Out highlights restaurants and other businesses who go the extra mile to serve good quality tea.

This shout-out goes to Roste Chocolate House in Portland, Oregon. In addition to delicious serving single-origin chocolate beverages and pastries, they offer a nice selection of green, black, and herbal loose-leaf teas sourced from Portland-based Portal Tea, as well as chai and matcha lattes.

Tea Review: Yanaka Midori Kukicha (Chaho Kanekichi-en)

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Porter) — Wed, 05 Aug 2026 02:33:44 +0000

Yanaka Midori Kukicha/谷中みどり
Chaho Kanekichi-en/金吉園
Type: Green
Origin: Japan, Kyoto Prefecture, Uji
Product Description:
Yanaka's specialty, "Yanaka Midori," is a blend of high-quality stem tea and premium Uji matcha. Its unique flavor and the vibrant green color of the matcha have made it a very popular souvenir and gift item.

Temperature: 175° F

Amount: 3 grams
Steeping Time: 2 minutes

The dry leaf aroma has notes of freshly ground nuts with a hint of green grass.

The aroma of the bright green liquor has nutty, sweet, and cooked edamame notes. The taste is nutty with notes of cooked edamame and a sweet green finish.

This kukicha was pleasantly savory with the fullest flavor in the first infusion. While subsequent infusions were notably lighter in flavor, I had good results with a longer second steeping.

This tea was purchased by me.

Tea Fest PDX 2026

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Porter) — Wed, 29 Jul 2026 20:46:58 +0000

Tea Fest PDX 2026 was held on June 27th at the World Forestry Center in Portland, Oregon.

This was the festival's 10th anniversary and the second year since it's move to late June from mid-July. The weather was very on-brand for the Pacific Northwest with a relatively sunny start to the day, shifting to rain and even a brief thunderstorm in the afternoon. Most of the outdoor spaces were covered so the festival was able to carry on without interruption.

Something I really appreciate that seems to be unique to outdoor/indoor festivals like Tea Fest PDX are the musical performances. This year's musical lineup was wonderful!

Heart Strings Mandarin Music Trio

Kayageum performed by Doyeon Lim

The festival program was filled with a wide variety of workshops, lectures, and tasting sessions, two of which I had the pleasure of attending.

Unusual and Rare Teas from Our Tea Explorations with Charles, Laurie, and Anais Dawson (Whatcom Tea)

It's always a treat to sit in on a tasting session with the Dawsons because I'm almost guaranteed to encounter something completely new. For this session we enjoyed several unique teas from their extensive collection, learning about their provenance and how they were made. The final tea was a bit of a wildcard; a teabag tea that tastes refreshingly like a loose leaf tea.

Left to Right: Anais Dawson, Laurie Dawson, Charles Dawson

Wuyi Hongcha from Tongmuan, Fujian Province (Chaliland)

Rosa roxburghii (Chestnut Rose) Stuffed Black Tea from Guixhou Province (iTeaworld)

2002 Huangpian Baozhong (wild harvest)

1990 Liu Bao (Three Cranes)

1980 Liu An from Anhui Province

Crown Melon flavored Oolong

Tea in Literature and Afternoon Tea with Marilyn Miller

We enjoyed a lovely afternoon tea prepared by Thistlewell Tea Room (formerly Sweet Peas Tea Room) accompanied by a reading of excerpts from the works of Earlene Grey, Nigel Slater, Patti Callahan, Rosamunde Pilcher, Lisa See, Julia Kelly, and Ethel Romig Fuller by Marilyn Miller.

Thanks to the volunteers, presenters, and vendors for making this festival possible! I'm looking forward to Tea Fest PDX 2027!

Eugene Tea Festival 2026

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Porter) — Thu, 09 Jul 2026 18:57:17 +0000

A well-timed visit with family in Oregon gave me the opportunity to attend the Eugene Tea Festival for the first time. The festival is in its fourth year, kicking off in 2023 and preceded by virtual tea tastings and local events. This year's festival took place on on May 31st at the Farmer's Market Pavilion in Eugene, Oregon's downtown arts district. The Pavilion and the adjoining plaza were lined with booths for tea, artisan, and food vendors.

The tea festival is free to attend, though donations are welcome and come with a tasting cup to enjoy all the tea samples available at the vendor booths.

At a table inside the Pavilion, Josh Brock (The Empty Tea Cup) and Laurie Dawson (Whatcom Tea) prepared tea throughout the day, providing a welcoming space to decompress and meet new tea friends.

The vendor booths had an impressive range of teas and tisanes from around the world, as well as handcrafted teaware, art, and decor.

Thanks to everyone who worked to bring this festival to the local community. It was a wonderful event!

The next Eugene Tea Festival will take place on May 30, 2027.

Cascadia Tea Festival 2026

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Porter) — Wed, 24 Jun 2026 16:57:30 +0000

The Cascadia Spring Tea Festival was held on April 11, 2026 in Everett, Washington. This was the volunteer-run community tea event's 5th year!

The festival returned to beautiful Forest Park in Everett, Washington. Vendor were located in Floral Hall and a dedicated tea tasting space was a short walk away in Lions Hall. My day began with vendor booth exploration and catching up with tea friends.

Lions Hall Tea Tastings

Lions Hall was lined with tea tasting tables as well as a crafting area for young people (and the young at heart).

Ward and Barbara Everson presented a tasting of shou puerh lightly infused with different flowers. The dried flowers are placed in a strainer so some of their aroma and flavor is introduced when the brewed tea is poured through the filter into the cha hai (fairness pitcher.) This results in lighter floral notes than if they were steeped allowing the flavor of the tea to come through.

Dark Depths (Crimson Lotus) poured over lavender

Diarmuid Fahy & Sam Culwell were brewing intriguing teas from their collection.

Li Shan

Li Shan 30-Year Aged Roasted Oolong

Thanks to the volunteers and vendors for making this tea festival happen!

Tea Review: Premium Spring Sencha Green Tea (Hachimanjyu Yakushima Tea)

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Porter) — Thu, 30 Apr 2026 16:00:00 +0000

Premium Spring Sencha Green Tea
Hachimanjyu Yakushima Tea (Yabukita & Asatsuyu)
Type: Green
Origin: Japan, Kagoshima Prefecture
Product Description:

The Yabukita is an Asamushi tea, or lightly steamed. This results a leaf that is kept more intact than longer steaming, and therefore results in a clearer, liquid that extracts more slowly from the leaf for multiple steepings. This type of steaming is usually reserved for higher quality leaf.

Meanwhile the Asatsuyu leaf, known for its strong umami flavor, is steamed chumushi, or regular steaming. This adds a delicious umami flavor and aroma to the tea.

Temperature: 140° F
Amount: 3 grams
Steeping Time: 1 minute

The dry leaves have a deep aroma of macadamia nuts with a hint of sweet grass.

The liquor is pale jade green with a rich and savory aroma of nuts and edamame. The taste is savory with umami and nutty with edamame notes and a long, green, nutty finish.

For the purpose of this review, I followed the recommended brewing instructions, steeping the tea for 1 minute in 140° F water and the results were excellent. The first infusion was filled with umami followed by spring green notes at the front of the second infusion, with a darker liquor color and thicker broth. The long finish was particularly refreshing.

This tea was purchased by me.

Tea Review: Yumesuruga Sencha (Charaku)

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Porter) — Wed, 22 Apr 2026 05:02:00 +0000

Yumesuruga Sencha

Charaku
Type: Green
Origin: Japan, Shizuoka Prefecture, Honyama
Product Description:

Infuses to a light green liquor with a slightly grassy aroma. Nice mouthfeel and a light amami (sweetness) that stays through a few infusions. It also has a very light shibumi (astringency) finish, so is a well-balanced tea with fresh notes across the spectrum.

The Honyama region of Shizuoka is in the northern part of the prefecture, containing the Abe River and the it's branches of the Ashikubo and Warashina Rivers, and near the foothills of Mount Fuji. Suruga was the old provincial name of current Shizuoka, and the Yumesuruga varietal can be translated as "Dream Suruga". The aroma of tea is everywhere in Suruga, and must have been for some time as poem of Matsuo Basho (1644-1694) recounts, "Suruga road / Even the mikan (orange) blossoms / Smell of tea bushes".

Temperature: 176° F

Amount: 3 grams
Steeping Time: 45 seconds-1.5 minutes

The dry leaf aroma is nutty and marine green.

The liquor is pale green with a savory aroma of nuts and edamame. The taste is savory and sweet with light edamame notes and a sweet green grassy finish.

This sencha was delicious with savory umami notes followed by a sweet green finish throughout three infusions. The aroma and liquor color deepened by the third infusion.

This tea was purchased by me.

Tea Shout-Out: White Rabbit Espresso

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Porter) — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 17:18:00 +0000

The Tea Shout-Out highlights restaurants and other businesses who go the extra mile to serve good quality tea.

This shout-out goes to White Rabbit Espresso located on Highway 101 in Newport, Oregon. They offer a selection of teas from Smith Teamaker as well as Matcha Lattes, Masala Chai, Newport Fog, a Tea & Tonic cocktail. They also sell most of the teas they serve. I warmed up on a rainy visit with a pot of Lord Bergamot black tea.