Biwa no Shiro

In the Kanbayashi Shunshō usucha portfolio, Biwa no Shiro lies in the middle as a high-quality usucha. Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, best known for building the Golden Pavilion, had a deep appreaciation for Uji tea and established seven tea gardens. Biwa, which this tea was named after, was one of these gardens.

This tea has an irresistible, sweet milk caramel fragrance, a complex, multi-faceted flavor, and a silky and pampering texture.
Prepared as an usucha, it is dominantly nutty with macadamia and cashew notes which is layered with a darker, deeper tone of woodsiness, reminiscent of sandalwood. This woodsy layer gives the tea an interesting and unique quality. A sweet and nutty aftertaste lingers long after drinking the tea. It is mellower and richer in umami than Usucha Mozumukashi, the tea directly bellow it in the Kanbayashi portfolio.