Saicho Hojicha
In stock
Shizuoka, in autumn — at any season.
Saicho was founded in 2019 by Natalie Chiu and Charlie Winkworth-Smith — food scientists, husband and wife, working between Hong Kong and the UK. The brand takes its name from the Japanese Buddhist monk who first carried tea from China to Japan. Its purpose is to give tea its rightful place at the table — alongside wine, in the same glass, with the same considered hand.
From Shizuoka Prefecture in Japan — the country's historic tea heartland — second-flush Sencha leaves are slow-roasted until they deepen into amber, then cold-brewed for twenty-four hours and finished with a fine carbonation. The result is a tea with the weight of toasted grain, the warmth of caramel, the nuance of roasted nuts — held up by a soft, persistent effervescence. Quiet, deep, and unmistakably Japanese in its restraint.
Of the four Saicho expressions, Hojicha is the most contemplative. It reads as autumnal at any season — and it is one of the few sparkling teas that holds its own against richer foods without losing its meditative character.
The Pour
Pour it cool from the bottle into a white wine glass — slightly warmer than the Osmanthus, to bring the roast forward. Through the meal, with duck, mushroom, aged cheese, roasted root vegetables, dark chocolate. As the close, with anything caramelized. Or simply on its own, after dinner — the rare sparkling tea that holds the room when poured alone.
The Rienne Index offers a clear perspective on how each bottle is best experienced.
The Tea Reading™ — The Rienne Index, applied to this bottle.
Origin — Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. Roasted green tea (hojicha), made from second-flush Sencha.
Character — Toasted grain, warm caramel, roasted nuts. Earthy, savory depth.
Structure — Dry. Medium body. Long, warming finish.
Moment — Cooler weather. Roasted dishes. Evening hours. The pour after dinner.
Service — 50–55°F. White wine glass or small tumbler.
