Earl Key
Made from Benihikari and blended with the dried peel of Keraji mandarin orange, a rare citrus grown only on Kikaijima Island in Japan’s far south. The Keraji isn’t bergamot. It’s something more floral, carrying notes of wildflowers and sansho leaf that layer over the black tea’s natural depth. The “K” in Earl Key is for Keraji, our producer’s answer to Earl Grey.
Weight: 50g
Yame
Yame is where Japan’s finest gyokuro is made. Tucked into the mountains of southern Fukuoka, morning mists roll in from the surrounding rivers, wrapping the tea fields in a natural veil that softens sunlight and builds the deep sweetness and umami Yame is known for. The farmers who work here have been refining their craft across generations.
Our Yame partner is one of those generational farms, a family operation over a century old that works with some of Japan’s most demanding tea. They grow an exceptional range of cultivars, including Saemidori, Tsuyuhikari, Kirari 31, and Okumidori, and bring the same precision to sencha, matcha, and wakocha. Every tea they make reflects the same conviction: Yame tea, made well, is unlike anything else in the world.
Brew Guides
Steep
METHOD
Heat 200ml of water to 195°–205°. Combine with 3–4g of leaf.
STEEPING TIMES
- 1st: 45-60 seconds
- 2nd: 30-45 seconds
- 3rd: 60 seconds
TIP
Warm your teapot with hot water and discard. Add blend and pour freshly boiled water just off the boil. The Keraji peel releases its floral aromatics quickly — don’t over-steep or the citrus note turns sharp.
Flavor Profile
Related products
-
Kirari 31 Sencha
$54 -
Okuunmo Matcha
$53 -
Mie Genmaicha
$27 -
Mint Mint
$32
