Tasting Profile
Appearance. Clear, golden water colour.[7]
Nose. Floral aroma.
Palate. The palate shows rich umami, with a refreshing sweetness that lingers on the tongue and a pleasant aftertaste. The company states it can be tasted to its full potential with only a small amount. The 2026 FIRST flush edition is described as showing a fresh, grassy freshness and a rich spring umami when poured into a glass.[8],[9]
Structure. Structural points stated in the tasting notes:
- Sweetness: mellow
- Length: long-lasting aftertaste
Composition & Vinification
Declared ingredients: water and tea leaves only, with no additives.[4]
Kanaya Ibuki Sencha -- Umami and Aroma. The tea is sencha of the original Kanaya Ibuki cultivar, grown in Shimada City, Shizuoka Prefecture. The 750ml and 180ml product specifications list an April 2026 harvest; another product description lists leaves harvested in April 2025. The leaves are dark green and glossy, with a thin, well-defined shape likened to the tip of a sword, and an aroma described as rich and gorgeous like dashi. Their flavour is described as the "orthodox school of Japanese tea," with strong umami and rich aroma. In a September 2023 interview, IBUKI's intense umami and vibrant, lively character were attributed to this rare local variety.[2],[3],[5],[6]
Oi River Water -- Extraction Medium. The tea leaves are combined with ultra-softened fresh water from the Oi River. The producer describes the Oi River as a Southern Alps river naturally filtered through fertile geological strata, and softens the water at its factory into 'super soft water'.
Provenance & Sourcing
Specifications. Core specification points:[10]
First Flush Editions. IBUKI also appears in seasonal FIRST flush editions made from freshly picked new tea. The 2024 edition was a limited-time, limited-quantity bottling of the 2024 shincha harvest of Kanaya Ibuki. The 2025 edition used shincha first harvested on April 24, 2025, and was bottled within one week of being picked and manufactured. The 2026 edition was offered on a limited basis only during the new tea season.[11],[12]
Production. The IBUKI 180ml product page describes supervision by a Japanese tea appraiser, stating there are only 39 in Japan, and separately describes the skills of a sixth-dan tea appraiser and a hand-rubbing instructor. The producer is located in Shimada City, Shizuoka Prefecture, and states that it makes all its bottled tea in its own factory, which it says obtained FSSC 22000 certification in 2023.[7]
Production Philosophy
IBUKI is a sencha bottled tea made from 'Kanaya Ibuki', a tea cultivar developed over more than 20 years at the company's own tea garden. The company presents it as an 'Umami Sencha' and as its flagship product, intended to change the 'concept of Japanese tea'. It is offered in 750ml and 180ml formats.[1],[2]
The tea is extracted without heat through a micro-level three-layer filter. The result is described as a condensed umami that can be tasted down to the last drop.
IBUKI shares its name with the brand and with the Kanaya Ibuki variety it is made from. According to the company, the Kanaya Ibuki tea was developed to restore Shizuoka's reputation as a premier tea-producing region, created after years of research in collaboration with local producers.[3]
Service
Temperature. The producer recommends serving its bottled tea cold, warmed slightly in the hand to release aroma, and enjoyed for its lingering aftertaste.
Shelf Life. IBUKI has a shelf life of within one month. The producer states its bottled teas are delivered by refrigerated service, must be kept refrigerated, and should be consumed as soon as possible after opening.[7]