Boseong Kuki Hojicha

Description

Boseong Kuki Hojicha (보성군 쿠키차 호지차) is an organic roasted twig tea from the Choi family plantation located in the famous Boseong County of South Jeolla Province. This tea consists solely of tea stems or twigs. It has been roasted to produce a comforting taste with a toasty flavour. Naturally low in caffeine, this is a perfect relaxation drink that is great in the evening and is suitable for those more susceptible to high caffeine content. This batch is made from blended harvests from 2023 and is sourced by us directly from the Choi family.

You may be interested in other teas we currently offer from the Choi Family Garden.

The Choi family plantation produces some classic teas that all have their own unique characters but maintain a distinctive ‘Korean’ taste. The family has owned this plantation for 3 generations and the tea making knowledge passes down from one generation to the next. They take great care in growing and producing their organic teas that showcase wonderful traditional Korean tea flavours. The Choi family also run tea making workshops for local schools, passing down their tea knowledge and promoting local agricultural work. Most children of farmers around the area are keen on moving to big cities for study and work, so their work is essential in ensuring the future of Korean tea.

The name for this tea is borrowed from classic Japanese teas. As there is no culture of making such tea in South Korea, the Choi family decided that it is more suitable to use the already existing Japanese names. Kukicha (Japanese 茎茶) refers to a twig or stem tea, while Hojicha (Japanese ほうじ茶) refers to a roasted green tea. Similarly to Japanese teas, this one is also processed as a green tea, after which it undergoes extensive roasting.

Boseong Kuki Hojicha is not really a typical green tea. The tea follows normal green tea processing but at the final stages it is exposed to high temperature, followed by a quick cooling phase. This imparts a characteristic roasted profile, at the same time lowering caffeine and catechin content. As catechin is responsible for astringency in tea, this results in a much mellower, non-astringent flavour that is hugely appealing. So while classed as a green tea, this one would also be appealing to fans of roasted oolong teas or even lighter black teas.

This tea consists solely of tea plant stems and twigs. It produces a bright liquor with a lightly toasted and tangy herbaceous aroma. The flavour is smooth and comforting with a definite baked and roasted note running throughout the tasting. There are cereal, woody and nutty notes that are balanced and not overpowering. The lasting aftertaste still delivers some more toasty notes that become more savoury with a mouthwatering aspect.

Boseong Kuki Hojicha is best brewed at 90°C for around 3 minutes and can be re-brewed multiple times.

This tea was first featured in our January 2024 Curious Tea Subscription Boxes.