River & Stone Tea

Koji Kurocha Fermented Japanese Dark Tea

This is such a fun tea! This rare tea from Shizuoka is like a wonderful Japanese riff on Shu Pu'er.

It is slowly fermented using black Koji Mold - the same mold used in the production of sake, miso, and many other Japanese fermented products.

The result is a full-bodied, rich tea that is in many ways like Shu Pu'er...but better. There are fruity, sweet notes mixed in and a lingering aftertaste that reminds us of horchata.

It's the sort of tea that makes us feel like neophytes in the wide world of tea once again - always a lovely feeling!

$22.00 USD

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Variant 1 Oz

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Tasting profile

Primary tasting notes

Petrichor
Like walking through the woods after the rain.
Rice Milk
A little creamy sweetness to round things out.
Blackberries
Just the slightest tinge of a tart fruit note.

About Koji Kurocha

This unique tea comes from Hamamatsu City in Shizuoka prefecture. Grown entirely without artificial fertilizers or chemical pesticides, the tea leaves are slowly fermented with black koji mold. This changes the composition of the catechins in the tea leaves and even increased citric and gallic acid content, lending a slightly piquant finish to this otherwise very earthy tea.

If you are a fan of Chinese shu pu'er, chances are you will enjoy this tea! It has a woodsy, soil-like flavor that is deeply familiar and comforting (especially on cloudy days), but with a little something extra: some fruity, tart, sweetness comes through in the finish that is not at all overpowering but makes this tea feel much livelier than your average pu'er!

A Novel Invention Made With Traditional Methods

Koji has been used for centuries in Japan for the production of several critical food products, but it was only applied to tea leaves in 2007! In the world of tea, this is one of the newest "inventions" out there, and proof that tea is an ever-evolving beverage. The creation of this tea even led to the discovery of two unique polyphenols, Teadenol A and Teadenol B, which are now being studied for their health benefits.

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Only the best!
We really take our tea freshness seriously! Your loose leaf tea is hand-selected, carefully dried, and shipped in sealed packaging to preserve its delicate flavor and vibrant color. Each cup delivers the full depth of this exceptional harvest.