Apricot, coconut, creamy
Umami★★★☆ / Astringency☆☆☆☆
Body★★☆☆ / Firing★★☆☆

Kirari-31 is a new cultivar, which was registered in 2015. It is very quickly becoming widespread, and is often presented as a very serious candidate to become a new standard alongside Yabukita and Saemidori. This tea is the result of a cross between Sakimidori and Saemidori at the Miyazaki research centre. This cultivar is promoted for its qualitative aspects, rather than its functional aspects (resistance, robustness, etc.). It is used as much for the production of unshaded senchas as the production of shaded teas with high theanine content, including kabuse and gyokuro.
This is a Kirari-31 sencha from Shimonagao in Kawane.
Its fragrance is sweet and initially has woody nuances. There are then more fruity nuances evoking apricots and a very light creamy sensation.
On the palate, this Karari 31 is extremely velvety, is sweet and has a delicate umami. It has no astringency. The aromas of fruits and cream have great finesse.
Subsequent infusions remain just as velvety, and it is only in the third infusion that a trace of tannins appear. The aromas stay fruity, but acquire herb nuances, providing a pleasant fresh sensation.
Despite its lightness, it has great length in the mouth.
This is a sencha that is very clear, sweet, velvety and rather light, which confirms that Kirari 31 is a high quality cultivar that is for a general public and that does not have any too divisive characteristic.

Type of tea : Futsumushi (normal-steamed) sencha
Origin : Shimonagao, Kawane-honcho municipality, Haibara District, Shizuoka Prefecture
Cultivar : Kirari 31
Harvest : April 19th, 2025