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, and 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 the Himalayas, China, and Japan. He spent 7 years in this company raising his mastery as a professional tea taster and providing training and degustations to educate others. The next important step was to work for Le Parti du thé, where Florian spent 5 years, traveling to Asia to source teas, as well as holding tea courses and experimenting with tea pairing in Paris. In 2018, Florian became a local champion in the Tea Masters Cup in France and won 3rd place in the Tea Masters Cup International in Hue, Vietnam. After this achievement, Florian decided to leave Paris and go to the birthplace of French Gastronomy, the city of Lyon, and opened his tea shop and a 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 favorites 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, and 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 the Himalayas, China, and Japan. He spent 7 years in this company raising his mastery as a professional tea taster and providing training and degustations to educate others. The next important step was to work for Le Parti du thé, where Florian spent 5 years, traveling to Asia to source teas, as well as holding tea courses and experimenting with tea pairing in Paris. In 2018, Florian became a local champion in the Tea Masters Cup in France and won 3rd place in the Tea Masters Cup International in Hue, Vietnam. After this achievement, Florian decided to leave Paris and go to the birthplace of French Gastronomy, the city of Lyon, and opened his tea shop and a 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 favorites 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 which 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 vary 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 the first place, where tea plants are stated to be cultivated. Kagoshima is one of the biggest tea-growing prefectures in Japan. The subtropical mild climate, rich volcanic soil, and high mastery of local farmers create a high-quality green tea, one of the best in Japan! Kirishima's tea is famous for its very delicate flavor 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 the first place, where tea plants are stated to be cultivated. Kagoshima is one of the biggest tea-growing prefectures in Japan. The subtropical mild climate, rich volcanic soil, and high mastery of local farmers create a high-quality green tea, one of the best in Japan! Kirishima's tea is famous for its very delicate flavor 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 at the end of April - beginning of May, because all the cultivars are not harvested at the same time. All the tea trees are shaded for 10 days before the harvest."
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GYOKURO SAEMIDORI
GYOKURO SAEMIDORI
"The traditional Gyokuro is shaded 20 days before the harvest, using a bamboo mat on a concrete post. The bamboo mat is about 60 cm above the tea trees. This process is good for keeping the temperature as low as possible and maintaining a few quantity of light which changes the chemical properties of the tea trees, more chlorophyll and more L-Theanine that give the life 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 leaf are picked by hand under the bamboo mat. This is called "Hon" Gyokuro which 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 shades used to make Kabuse and Gyokuro nowadays are made using black synthetic fiber covering directly applied to the tea trees. Because of the black color, it warms a little bit the tea trees so Mr. Henta found something new a synthetic fiber 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 its low frost resistance. Saemidori gives 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 shades used to make Kabuse and Gyokuro nowadays are made using black synthetic fiber covering directly applied to the tea trees. Because of the black color, it warms a little bit the tea trees so Mr. Henta found something new a synthetic fiber 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 its low frost resistance. Saemidori gives 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."
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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."
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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) which gives more complexity and aroma to this tea. You can find vegetal and roasted notes and a little of umami."
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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 were brought by the Buddhist monks 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, these 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 the 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 were brought by the Buddhist monks 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, these 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 the 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 have a chance to visit Lyon, don't forget to visit Florain's shop for a stunning tea collection and high tea experiences.
47 Rue Franklin, 69002 Lyon, France
+33 4 78 37 17 38
and if you have a chance to visit Lyon, don't forget to visit Florain's shop for a 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