Tasting Profile
Pairings
Royal Blue Tea describes IRIKA Sapphire as pairing well with any cuisine without overpowering it, attributing this versatility to its refined flavor.[4]
Composition & Vinification
Takachiho and Sakimidori Cultivars — Leaf Base. Royal Blue Tea's documentation names two cultivars for the tea: the Takachiho cultivar (たかちほ), grown on tea trees aged over 50 years, and the Sakimidori (さきみどり) cultivar. The leaves are sourced from Gokase Town, Nishiusuki District, Miyazaki Prefecture, and are cultivated using the arc-training method (弧状仕立) and hand-picked (手摘み) for Royal Blue Tea.[1],[4]
Fermentation Methodology
Pan-firing (kamairi). Fermentation is halted by a pan-firing (釜炒り) technique rather than steaming. New tea buds are placed in an iron kettle, fired over direct heat, and dried while being kneaded in the kettle — the traditional kamairi method. Royal Blue Tea states that the moisture released from the leaves deactivates their enzymes and thereby stops fermentation.[1],[4]
Provenance & Sourcing
Specifications. Classification and format:[1],[5]
- Category: blue tea (青茶) / semi-fermented Japanese-made oolong (和製烏龍茶), kamairi pan-fired style (釜炒り青茶)
- Tier: Imperial
- Format: 750 mL bottle
Production. The tea leaves are produced by Miyazaki Chabou (宮崎茶房), specifically by Ryo Miyazaki (宮崎亮). The farm is located in a World Agricultural Heritage area at an altitude of 500–800 m and, per Royal Blue Tea, has practiced organic farming using no pesticides and only organic fertilizers since the 1980s.[1],[4]
Ingredients Policy. Royal Blue Tea states that IRIKA Sapphire is made exclusively from organically grown tea leaves cultivated without pesticides or chemical fertilizers, hand-picked for the producer.[1]
Production Philosophy
Origin of the tea. According to Royal Blue Tea, the leaf grower Miyazaki Chabou began experimenting with oolong tea production roughly 20 years ago, inspired by Taiwanese tea and working from self-taught methods. Royal Blue Tea's social media describes the finished tea as a new oolong made from leaves grown in Gokase, Miyazaki Prefecture, a region designated a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System (GIAHS) in 2015.[1],[2],[3]