ARIEL Japanese Bancha

Bancha is Japan's everyday green tea, the one people reach for all day long. Made from leaves picked later in the season, it's mild, light and easy-drinking, with a fresh, toasty-grassy character and naturally less caffeine than many green teas. It brews to a clear yellow-green cup and suits almost any moment, from a morning cup to a relaxed one after dinner.

Tasting Notes

The cup is light and clean, gently vegetal with a soft, straw-like sweetness and a hint of toasted warmth. It's mellow and smooth rather than intense, an unfussy green tea with a fresh, simple finish. That easygoing character is exactly what makes bancha so drinkable, cup after cup.

The Everyday Tea

The name bancha means something close to common or everyday tea, and that's just how it's used in Japan. It comes from the same plant as sencha, but is harvested later in the year from more mature leaves, which gives it a softer, rounder flavour and a lighter caffeine level. The leaves are steamed, rolled and dried in the Japanese tradition, keeping the cup fresh and green.

Brewing

Heat fresh water to 90 °C and steep 2.5 g of leaves (about one teaspoon) for 2 minutes. Bancha handles slightly hotter water than more delicate green teas, and the same leaves give a good second cup.

Additional Information

• Ingredients: Japanese green tea
• Formats: 1 kg loose leaf
• Certifications: Kosher
• Foundation: Humaniterra Foundation