Uji Cha, the best of Japan probably, but to me, most definitely. The balance of shibumi bitter and umami savory is bold, complex, memorable. The astringent greens of more commercialized regions are merely thin and bitter in comparison, with a sharp, shale aftertaste. The Uji teas are viscuous, broth like, with a mesmerizing dance that deserves meditation. But its exquisite liqueur is also unassuming, like the people who make it, and the mad river that runs through it- the Ujikawa- that’s clean, deep, and full of fossil minerality.
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