Saicho Minami Sayaka Single Origin Sparkling Tea

£50.00

The third edition of The Rare Tea Collection, Minami Sayaka is a rare Japanese oolong from the mountains of Miyazaki, crafted from a distinctive cultivar grown by the Miyazaki family in the highlands of Gokase. Minami Sayaka, loosely translated as 'Southern Clarity', is the signature tea of the Miyazaki family.

Produced in a limited release from their spring harvest, this delicate sparkling tea is bright, aromatic and expressive, revealing the distinctive floral character of the cultivar and the highland terroir in which it is grown.

Orders will be dispatched from Wednesday, 14 October.

On the nose

Fresh and delicate, with floral notes of gardenia and magnolia, ripe pear and a subtle petrichor note. It evokes the freshness of a spring morning in the mountains of Gokase.

On the palate

Bright white peach and crisp nashi pear lead into soft marzipan, with a long, subtle finish of almond blossom.

Size

750ML

Bottles Single Bottle

Gift Box With Gift Box

Energy 89kJ/21kcal
Fat <0.1g of which saturates <0.1g
Carbohydrates 4.4g of which sugars 4.4g per 100ml
Protein 0.9g
Salt <0.1g
Caffeine 11mg

Cold Brewed Minami Sayaka Tea (93%)
White Grape Juice From Concentrate
Acid: Citric Acid
Vitamin C
Carbon Dioxide

The Kumataka

The garden lies near Takachiho, a landscape long associated with Japanese mythology, where the surrounding mountains remain closely tied to nature and tradition. Soaring above these highland fields and mature forests is the Kumataka (Mountain Hawk-Eagle), a rare and protected bird of prey.

As an apex predator requiring an entirely intact natural habitat to survive, the Kumataka's presence serves as a living testament to the purity of the garden, reflecting a wild, balanced ecosystem shaped by the mountains and forests that surround it.

The Kumataka became a natural symbol for this tea. Its rarity and connection to the landscape reflect the character of Minami Sayaka itself: an exceptional tea shaped by a remarkable natural environment.

Artist Yuliya Kalinichenko captured this connection in her artwork, bringing together the Kumataka, the tea garden and the surrounding mountains of Gokase. Her interpretation reflects the natural beauty and distinctive terroir of the place where Minami Sayaka is grown.

Pairs well with

The delicate floral character and bright fruit of Minami Sayaka make it an elegant pairing for both delicate and more aromatic dishes.

Oysters, scallops and langoustines bring out its freshness, while fresh goat's cheese and pear tart complement its floral and almond notes. Its refreshing acidity and delicate fruit character also work beautifully alongside lightly spiced dishes, providing a gentle counterpoint to heat and aromatic spices.

Origin & Terroir

MINAMI SAYAKA

Set in Gokase, in the mountainous interior of Kyushu, the Miyazaki Sabou tea garden has been farmed by the Miyazaki family since 1930.

Spread across more than 140 small plots at elevations exceeding 600 metres, the garden is shaped by a highland climate of wide temperature variations, morning mist and occasional winter snow.

These challenging conditions naturally slow the growth of the tea plants, concentrating their flavour and encouraging deep root development within the region's rich volcanic soils.

Crafted by Akira Miyazaki, a tea master renowned for his expertise in cultivating more than thirty tea varieties, this spring tea showcases the garden's Minami Sayaka cultivar, a naturally floral variety well suited to semi-oxidised production.

Originally processed as a traditional green tea, Mr Miyazaki recognised that its delicate floral freshness had yet to be fully realised. Through four years of patient experimentation, he perfected a light oxidation technique that gently draws out these vibrant aromas, creating a rare and expressive Japanese oolong.

As early pioneers of this rare variety, the Miyazaki family were the first to cultivate Minami Sayaka commercially, carefully nurturing it into the defining expression of their garden.

Altitude

600m+
Cultivar

Minami Sayaka
Tea Type

Oolong
Season

Spring

JAPAN

Region:

Gokase, Kyushu

MINAMI SAYAKA

On the nose

On the palate

The Kumataka

Pairs well with

Origin & Terroir

MINAMI SAYAKA

JAPAN

Related Products

Our Story

our partners