Arakai Estate’s 2020/21 Spring Flush Green tea is harvested from the first growth from tea bushes that have been dormant over winter. This year’s harvest was delightful with a wonderful complexity within the tea liquor.
A well balanced that has delicate vegetable notes, a floral bouquet and a distinctive buttery feeling in the mouth that combine for a long lasting returning sweetness.
This tea was the second spring harvest tea we have selected from this Estate’s spring teas. We highly recommend trying a side by side tasting with the special reserve ‘shaded’ green tea.
Awards
Arakai Estate have picked up a swag of awards for their incredible teas and most recently from the 2022 Royal Agricultural Society of Tasmania Fine Food Awards.
Origin: Bellthorpe, QLD, Australia
Flavour profile: Semi-sweet | Floral | Grass
Processing highlights: Arakai Estate utilise a unique range of Chinese and Taiwanese processing techniques that result in a longer withering process, more commonly associated with the finishing of oolong teas. This is evidenced in the unfurling wet leaves that have beautiful shades of red and brown along the edges of the leaf.
The plucking standard is 1 bud and 2-3 leaves with the tea being processed by the ‘mighty’ bike harvester. We love the innovation that the tea producer has had here! A mechanical harvester has been fixed to the top of 2 bikes that is operated by one person and walked between the tea fields.
Harvest: Spring 2020/21
Cultivar: Around 80% of the Estate is Yabukita and Sayama Kaori with smaller quantities of Meriokyu, Yutakamidori, Fushin and a much smaller amount of Okumidori.
Tea Master: Brendon Collins
Arakai Estate is located in the beautiful Conondale Ranges in South-East Queensland. Bellthorpe has a mild, subtropical climate, with high rainfall and fertile, slightly acidic soil perfectly suited to growing the Japanese tea cultivars. Cooler temperatures are experienced overnight and during the winter.
Elevation: 500m – 600m
This Spring Flush green tea is complex and delivers a flavour that is floral, slightly buttery with a lingering sweetness on the palate and a very mild astringency.
This tea will pair with white meats, vegetables, salads and fish. It is also a good accompaniment to slightly salty foods. An easy drinking and delicious Australian green tea that drinks well with breakfast foods and slightly salty foods. Try this tea with seasoned edamame or an egg and bacon pie.
Leaf appearance: Long, elongated loosely rolled leaf and bud with even green, brown and red colourings.
Aroma: An elegant floral bouquet, delicate vegetable notes reminiscent of young butter beans and hints of melon that combine to deliver a sweet aroma.
Liquor colour: Pale yellow
