iced classic green

This tea is certified organic and produced to fair labor standards.

Commissioned exclusively for Hugo Tea at our partner farm Feng Shu Ling, ICED CLASSIC GREEN is a wholly unique style of green tea crafted specifically for cold applications. The tea garden these leaves grow on is Zhejiang province's most pristine—situated on the banks of a protected reservoir many kilometers away from industrial centers, the air quality is consistently clean (check in real-time here). The farm—a joint venture between Japanese botanists and Chinese agronomists—produces some of the most interesting teas on the market. We enlisted their expertise to develop a Chinese cultivar in a Japanese style: a sweet, floral tea with all the refreshing elements of sencha without bitter grassiness.

ICED CLASSIC GREEN undergoes a specialized "fixing" process (applying heat to fresh tea leaves to deactivate enzymes responsible for aging) that involves rounds of both steaming and pan-frying. This results in a tea with the depth and complexity of Chinese greens alongside the distinct freshness and vegetal qualities of Japanese greens—a flavor hybrid ideal for iced tea. Naturally sweet with medium body and a comforting toastiness that precedes a meadowgrass finish, the tea is agreeable to both discerning and picky palates, and is a strong candidate for drink mixing.

We pack the tea into oversized, unbleached cellulose sachets that provide optimal breathing room for the tea to extract evenly. These sachets are also ideally portioned for pitcher-size servings (32 oz / 950 ml), making their preparation exceedingly simple. Drop a pouch into a jug for overnight cold brew (our preferred method), or brew hot for added complexity before chilling. The liquor is an attractive pale green with soft yellow tones that looks especially appetizing in frosted glassware or in glass spout pitchers behind bar. Serve with a thin curl of lemon peel and a fresh lavender sprig for a restorative springtime refreshment.

notes — borage | sesame | alfalfa