TASTING NOTES: smoked mackerel, s'mores, 'banya', late autumn leaves
Unique to the city of Kyoto from which it gets the name, Kyobancha is harvested from tea leaves and twigs that have matured over the winter months and then roasted, producing a very woodsy flavor.
Often called 'bancha for babies' because it has almost no caffeine, it is also called 'spring bancha' because it is harvested in March from winter matured leaves. Rarely offered outside of Japan, it is even quite rare to find it in supermarkets in Japan as well.
Shinichi Kihara's Kyobancha gives off a smoky aroma, but surprises you with a flavor that is both smoky and sweet.