MASTER'S TEA SELECTION by FLORIAN AUMAIRE
MASTER'S TEA SELECTION by FLORIAN AUMAIRE
We are very excited and proud to announce another important step in our project's life!
Our collection has been expanded with stunning teas from Japan, created by experienced masters from Kirishima, Kagoshima, Kyushu, and thoroughly selected by Japanese tea expert - Florian Aumaire.
FLORIAN AUMAIRE
is an experienced tea taster with 17+ years of experience. He came from a tea drinking family which is a rare thing in France and started his tea journey in a Palais des thés company. Having the chance to be close to old employees to learn a lot, he studied high-quality teas from Himalaya, China and Japan. He spent 7 years in this company rising his mastery as a professional tea taster and providing trainings and degustations to educate others. Next important step was work for Le Parti du thé, where Florian spent 5 years, traveling to Asia for sourcing teas, as well as hold tea courses and experiment with tea pairing in Paris. In 2018, Florian became a local champion in Tea Masters Cup France and won 3rd place in Tea Masters Cup International in Hue, Vietnam. After this achievement Florian decided to leave Paris and go to the birthplace of French Gastronomy, in the city of Lyon, and opened his own tea shop and company called Les Thés sur Terre. Now, Florian and his wife Sophie (also a tea expert), are working together to experiment with Tea Pairing and sourcing unique teas from different countries.
"My first experience with tea was at 8 years old in a judo training with Japanese tea masters, trying Matcha and Sencha. I think that Japanese green teas are one of my favourite because it reminds me of that time. "
Florian Aumaire
Our collection has been expanded with stunning teas from Japan, created by experienced masters from Kirishima, Kagoshima, Kyushu, and thoroughly selected by Japanese tea expert - Florian Aumaire.
FLORIAN AUMAIRE
is an experienced tea taster with 17+ years of experience. He came from a tea drinking family which is a rare thing in France and started his tea journey in a Palais des thés company. Having the chance to be close to old employees to learn a lot, he studied high-quality teas from Himalaya, China and Japan. He spent 7 years in this company rising his mastery as a professional tea taster and providing trainings and degustations to educate others. Next important step was work for Le Parti du thé, where Florian spent 5 years, traveling to Asia for sourcing teas, as well as hold tea courses and experiment with tea pairing in Paris. In 2018, Florian became a local champion in Tea Masters Cup France and won 3rd place in Tea Masters Cup International in Hue, Vietnam. After this achievement Florian decided to leave Paris and go to the birthplace of French Gastronomy, in the city of Lyon, and opened his own tea shop and company called Les Thés sur Terre. Now, Florian and his wife Sophie (also a tea expert), are working together to experiment with Tea Pairing and sourcing unique teas from different countries.
"My first experience with tea was at 8 years old in a judo training with Japanese tea masters, trying Matcha and Sencha. I think that Japanese green teas are one of my favourite because it reminds me of that time. "
Florian Aumaire
KIRISHIMA TEA INTRODUCTION
The Japanese strive to achieve perfection in everything, and growing green tea is no exception. Over hundreds of years, they managed to develop ideal varieties, some of them are as much superior in properties as Chinese ones. There are many tea plantations in Japan. The color, aroma and taste of tea leaves harvested from different plantations varies not only from the plant variety, but also from the growing method, as well as from the soil in a particular area. Therefore, the Japanese directly associate the quality of green tea with the place where it grows.
Kirishima is a city located in Kagoshima Prefecture located on the island of Kyushu. This is the country's southernmost tea region and it is considered as a first place, where tea plant stated to be cultivated. Kagoshima is one of the biggest tea growing prefectures in Japan. Subtropical mild climate, rich volcanic soil, and high mastery of local farmers creates a high-quality green tea, one of the best in Japan! Kirishima's tea is famous for its very delicate flavour and rich full-bodied 'umami' taste.
Kirishima is a city located in Kagoshima Prefecture located on the island of Kyushu. This is the country's southernmost tea region and it is considered as a first place, where tea plant stated to be cultivated. Kagoshima is one of the biggest tea growing prefectures in Japan. Subtropical mild climate, rich volcanic soil, and high mastery of local farmers creates a high-quality green tea, one of the best in Japan! Kirishima's tea is famous for its very delicate flavour and rich full-bodied 'umami' taste.
Award-winning HENTA SAN SHINCHA
Award-winning HENTA SAN SHINCHA
"This blend has won the Japanese Tea Selection Paris First Price in 2022. Well balanced, very vegetal fresh notes and light umami. This tea is made by blending Asanoka, Yabukita and Saemidori cultivars. The percentage of each is the secret of Mr. Henta. Harvested in end of April - beginning of May, because all the cultivars are not harvest at the same time. All the tea trees are shade during 10 days before the harvest."
MORE DETAILS
MORE DETAILS
GYOKURO SAEMIDORI
GYOKURO SAEMIDORI
"The traditional Gyokuro is shade during 20 days before the harvest, using bamboo mat on concrete post. The bamboo mat is about 60 cm above the tea trees. This process is good to keep the temperature as low as possible and maintain a few quantity of light which change the chemical properties of the tea trees, more chlorophyll and more L-Theanine that give to the lives more tenderness, deep vegetal notes and umami. Producers don't use any machine to harvest the tea everything is made by hand, each buds and young leaves are picked by hand under the bamboo mat. This is called "Hon" Gyokuro that means real Gyokuro in Japanese. But the production is so ridiculous and small because of the cost it's very difficult to sell it for a good price.
Most of the shade used to make Kabuse and Gyokuro nowadays are made using black synthetic fibre covering directly apply on the tea trees. Because of the black color, it warms a little bit the tea trees so Mr. Henta found something new a synthetic fibre covering with reflectors to maintain a low temperature on the tea plant. He is trying to get closest to the traditional Gyokuro.
This tea is made with Saemidori cultivar, a cultivar from Uji, that is a combination of Yabukita and Asanoka. This tea cultivar loves the southern part of Japan because of his low frost resistance. Saemidori give a lot of umami and when it's shade the umami notes are so powerful and you can feel deep vegetal notes of grass and some sea notes close to the taste of mussels."
MORE DETAILS
Most of the shade used to make Kabuse and Gyokuro nowadays are made using black synthetic fibre covering directly apply on the tea trees. Because of the black color, it warms a little bit the tea trees so Mr. Henta found something new a synthetic fibre covering with reflectors to maintain a low temperature on the tea plant. He is trying to get closest to the traditional Gyokuro.
This tea is made with Saemidori cultivar, a cultivar from Uji, that is a combination of Yabukita and Asanoka. This tea cultivar loves the southern part of Japan because of his low frost resistance. Saemidori give a lot of umami and when it's shade the umami notes are so powerful and you can feel deep vegetal notes of grass and some sea notes close to the taste of mussels."
MORE DETAILS
Master's Kabuse Yabukita Shincha
KABUSE YABUKITA SHINCHA
KABUSE YABUKITA SHINCHA
"Only Yabukita tea cultivar, which is the most famous and cultivated in Japan. Now it's about 70% of the tea trees. Yabukita tea tree is the mother of most of the Japanese tea cultivars. Very vegetal and the stronger tea in terms of sea notes."
MORE DETAILS
MORE DETAILS
SHINCHA KUKICHA KARIGANE
SHINCHA KUKICHA KARIGANE
"This type of Kukicha is the best quality of Kukicha. 'Kuki' means stems so basically the Kukicha is a tea of stems only. Karigane is the crane bird which is a famous bird in Japanese mythology, so in the Japanese tea industry 'karigane' means high quality. This Kukicha is composed of stems and broken tea leaves from shaded tea (Kabuse) that gives more complexity and aroma to this tea. You can find vegetal and roasted notes and a little of umami."
MORE DETAILS
MORE DETAILS
FINAL WORDS FROM THE MASTER
FINAL WORDS FROM THE MASTER
"I love the teas from Kyushu for many reasons!
First, this part of Japan is one of the oldest in Japanese tea history. The first tea seeds where brought by the Buddhist monk when they came back from China 1000+ years ago. There's a very old knowledge about tea culture in this part of Japan.
Second, is that Kyushu is the first area of organic tea production, many producers are completely organic, like Mr Henta.
Third, those teas have personality due to this old knowledge, this good conditions in terms of climate and soil. The most interesting teas in Kagoshima prefecture are in Kirishima because the tea trees are in small mountains, the teas of plain are less interesting but who knows, maybe we can find a genius that can make something crazy in plain."
Florian Aumaire
First, this part of Japan is one of the oldest in Japanese tea history. The first tea seeds where brought by the Buddhist monk when they came back from China 1000+ years ago. There's a very old knowledge about tea culture in this part of Japan.
Second, is that Kyushu is the first area of organic tea production, many producers are completely organic, like Mr Henta.
Third, those teas have personality due to this old knowledge, this good conditions in terms of climate and soil. The most interesting teas in Kagoshima prefecture are in Kirishima because the tea trees are in small mountains, the teas of plain are less interesting but who knows, maybe we can find a genius that can make something crazy in plain."
Florian Aumaire
LES THÉS SUR TERRE
Follow Florian's project by checking his website LES THÉS SUR TERRE
and if you will have a chance to visit Lyon, don't forget to visit Florain's shop for stunning tea collection and high tea experiences.
47 Rue Franklin, 69002 Lyon, France
+33 4 78 37 17 38
and if you will have a chance to visit Lyon, don't forget to visit Florain's shop for stunning tea collection and high tea experiences.
47 Rue Franklin, 69002 Lyon, France
+33 4 78 37 17 38
AN SHIM TEA - JAPAN
Try one of the best Japanese tea representatives from AN SHIM TEA COLLECTION