Tasting Profile
Nose. Genki Komatsu describes a fruity aroma distinct from commonly recognised sencha.
Palate. Komatsu describes UTSUROI as drawing out the umami of Japanese tea, with a body-rich finish. In a 27 January 2025 social media post co-authored with IBUKI bottled tea, ANoTHER IMPERIAL HOTEL described it as a tea whose aroma and flavor slowly change through contact with temperature and air.[3]
Structure. Structural points stated by the sources:
- Body: body-rich finish (Genki Komatsu)
- Complexity: aroma and flavor slowly change with temperature and air (ANoTHER IMPERIAL HOTEL)
Composition & Vinification
Declared ingredients: tea leaves and water only, without additives.
Shizuoka Yabukita Tea -- Blend Base. The tea is an original blend of Yabukita tea grown in Shizuoka.
Production Philosophy
UTSUROI is a bottled tea jointly developed by IBUKI bottled tea and ANoTHER IMPERIAL HOTEL. It was released in November 2024.
IBUKI's marketing materials describe how the blend was built. Imperial Hotel bartenders Ido and Watanabe took part in developing UTSUROI with Genki Komatsu, head of the IBUKI bottled tea business, evaluating the aroma and flavor of the tea leaves. An Imperial Hotel bartender visited tea fields and manufacturing facilities in Shizuoka Prefecture to finalize the blend.[1]
In a 9 May 2025 social media post, IBUKI bottled tea said UTSUROI's original blend of tea leaves was developed through repeated trial production. The same post described UTSUROI as a one-of-a-kind, ever-transforming bottled tea.[2]