OXALIS 2025 / 2026

18 Teas Japan Japan shares the top spot with China as one of the world’s oldest tea cultures. A unique Japanese cultivation technique is known as shading, where tea bushes are covered with special tarpaulins 10 to 21 days before harvest. During this period, the plants grow in up to 90% shade, triggering significant chemical changes in the leaves. Levels of catechins, caffeine, theanine, amino acids, and pigments increase, giving the leaves a darker colour, making them thinner and larger, and noticeably altering the flavour of the infusion. This method allows for only one harvest per year, as shading weakens the plant and cannot be repeated in the same season. Japan offers a tea selection that can satisfy even the most demanding tea enthusiast. (9)10160 Bancha Arashiyama 40 g 1 kg 2-3 Bancha is distinctive for its significant taste that gradually spreads within the mouth. Its name of Arashiyama is a synonym for "stormy mountains". The initially sweetish taste transforms into a pleasantly bitter tone at the close, reminiscent of young walnut. (9)810173 Gyokuro Yutaka ORGANIC 70 g 0.5 kg 4-5 Only the finest tea leaves, protected by shade and grown on the most fertile volcanic soils, are used in Japan to produce this perfect tea. The leaves are shaped like long needles and their colour is emerald green. The infusion has a fresh floral aroma and the taste is delicate and slightly sweet. (9)810261 Kabusecha ORGANIC 50 g 1 kg 3-4 This green Kabusecha tea from the area of Kirishima in Kagoshima Prefecture derived its name from the word kabuse, meaning covered or shaded tea. Cultivation includes a period of 10 to 14 days when covers are placed directly above the tea bushes prior to harvesting. Consequently, the tea is intensely green and combines the characteristics of Gyokuro and Sencha. The long, dark green, needle-like leaves brew to make a light green liquor. The taste reveals tones of mild grass and young hazelnut with a subtle edge of umami. (9)810232 Sencha Kinomi ORGANIC 70 g 1 kg 3 Sencha of ecological origin from the area of Kirishima in Kagoshima Prefecture. The tea is sourced from the May harvest from the Asatsuyu cultivar. The green leaves give a crystal clear infusion of bright green colour. In its taste, a significant sweetness is evident with a hint of macadamia nut. When translated the name of Kinomi means ‘nut’, hinting at the taste profile of the tea. (9)10222 Sencha Miyazaki 70 g 1 kg 3 This Japanese Sencha harks from Miyazaki Prefecture. Its fresh, green, needle-like leaves lend it a clear, pale green infusion. In flavour and aroma it is dominated by the sweetness of young hazelnut with a mild creamy tone. (9)10209 Sencha Natsu 70 g 0.5 kg 2-3 A spring Sencha from the Minamikyushu Eicho region in Kagoshima Prefecture in the south of Kyushu Island. When brewed, the green needle-like leaves give rise to a green-yellow infusion boasting a sweet, milky aroma. Its taste is dominated by umami, which is accompanied by light tones of ripe peach at the close. Vietnam Tea has been cultivated in Vietnam since 1825, when French settlers established the first plantations. However, the development of the tea industry was slowed by years of political instability, so significant expansion didn’t take place until the early 20th century. Today, Vietnam produces over 80,000 tonnes of black and green tea annually, along with several flavoured varieties. The vast majority of green tea is consumed domestically, while black tea is primarily exported worldwide. (9)10121 Vietnam Ché Ngon So 40 g 1 kg 2-3 Green tea from the Tam Duong region in Lai Chau province, located in the northwestern part of Vietnam. The local tea gardens lie beneath the highest mountain in Indochina, Fansipan. When brewed, the green leaves produce a light green infusion. The taste and aroma are intense and long-lasting. The taste is dominated by lemons and a light creamy note. The finish reveals a subtle tartness of lemon peel.