IKUMI

Appearance. A clear golden water colour.^[1]

Nose. Floral in aroma.^[1]

Palate. A mellow sweetness on the palate, with a rich flavour that develops later in the mouth. A refreshing sweetness lingers on the tongue, and the aftertaste is long-lasting.^[1]

Structure. As stated by IBUKI:^[1]

• Sweetness: mellow on the palate; refreshing sweetness lingering on the tongue
• Length: long-lasting aftertaste

Temperature. IBUKI recommends its bottled teas be served cold, with the vessel warmed slightly in the hand to release aroma, and enjoyed for the lingering aftertaste.

Shelf Life. IKUMI has a shelf life of within 3 months. All IBUKI bottled teas are shipped by cool (refrigerated) delivery and require refrigeration; IBUKI states its products should be consumed as soon as possible after opening.^[2]

Production. IBUKI produces all of its bottled tea in its own FSSC22000-certified factory, built to world-standard specifications and using Shizuoka green and black teas. The company operates a factory-owned store at 834-1 Ushio, Shimada-shi, Shizuoka 428-0006. Products are made to order, with IBUKI stating shipment from the factory typically within 2–4 business days and, elsewhere, approximately 5 to 6 business days from receipt of order.

Ingredients Policy. IBUKI states that its bottled teas are made with only water and tea leaves, with no additives and no heating, using soft water to brew tea leaves from Shizuoka Prefecture. The company's tea leaves are supervised by CEO and Japanese tea connoisseur Yukiya Komatsu, a recipient of the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Award, and its connoisseur team includes a 6th dan tea connoisseur and a hand-tea rubbing instructor.