Babamukashi by Kanbayashi Shunsho is a one of the oldest tea names and is steeped with history. The name was bestowed upon the Kanbayashi family by Tokugawa Ieyasu as he was fond of the 'Babacha' or Grandmother's tea made by the mother of the first generation Kanbayashi. In recognition for her skills, she was gifted a tea garden in Wakamori and the tea produced there was named Babamukashi.
ThIs koicha is the third highest blend in the Kabayashi Shunsho offering with the fresh powder reminds us of a sweet dessert with vanilla, malted milk and the fruity floral notes of strawberries. The powder is a bright and vibrant green and when blended as a koicha is a deep rich emerald green tone with the savoury salinity of fleur de sel. Babamukashi is rich and intense with full body and depth. It starts with the gentle tartness, fruity and floral flavours of young strawberries followed by the short spurt of bitterness from dark leafy greens (kale/cavolo nero). As it rolls through, the mouthfeel is buttery and velvety and the intense vegetal notes take over. This lingers for quite awhile at the front of the mouth before the vanilla custard creaminess takes over for a soft, naturally sweet and clean ending.
Established for fifteen generations since the Eiroku era (around 1560), the Kanbayashi Shunsho story began when its first generation, Kamon no Jo Hisashige, moved to Uji from the Kanbayashi Township in Tanba and became heavily involved in the tea industry, playing an important role in production and distribution as the leading tea master in the Uji tea industry. During the Edo period (1603-1867), he was bestowed the title “Gomotsu Ochashi,” or the highest rank of tea master, and principally performed the role of tea provider to the shogunate and various feudal lords.
But, with the changing of periods came a wind of change. The Meiji era marked a drastic upheaval for many tea masters, who were forced to change their business models as shogunate favoured tea master establishments to tea merchant establishments. The Shunsho family adapted swiftly with the introduction of newly developed teas 'gyokuro' and 'sencha' , an absolute hit with tea lovers. And the company motto "learning from the past for the future" still holds true to this day.
Not many can claim an ancestry linking back to Uji tea masters, but the Kanbayashi Shunsho family boasts of a legacy that spans 450 years, and have been purveyors of high quality teas for generations of tea lovers.
Weight | 40g
Origin | Uji, Kyoto
