I was looking for cherry blossom tea that is popular this season and came across a shop that had a tasting. I decided not to buy the cherry blossom tea since I already have some with a stronger scent. Instead, I purchased the "Caramel Chai Tea Pack for ¥980" which was delicious. I learned how to make it and when I tried it at home, it was just as good. I like that I can adjust the sweetness to my liking.

After shopping at Daimaru, I walked along Nishiki Koji Street and came across a shop with a round sign that read "Tea Specialty Store." It is a Kyoto select shop. The compact store offers a variety of teas, from straight teas to flavored ones. There are two female staff members in the shop who are very attentive. "Would you like to try our apricot iced tea?" they offered. It was cold, but the aroma was strong and pleasant. I decided to buy the recommended Darjeeling First Flush 2014 from the Okai Tea Garden, DJ-16 (\2,200/50g) since I hadn't bought any spring harvest tea this year. The staff also brought out DJ-3 from the Okai Tea Garden and DJ-3 from the Shiok Tea Garden for a tasting comparison. Each was almost a full cup, quite generous for a tasting. Among them, DJ-16 had the most balanced and refreshing taste. In terms of aroma, last year's tea from the Sangma Tea Garden had a more impactful fragrance. I was then offered more tea samples one after another, allowing me to stay well-hydrated.

Based on the recommendation of my reviewer friend Tonshi, I purchased the "Emperor's Summer Harvest Darjeeling" tea. My other reviewer friend Maron Mama also decided to try it. I also bought a Sri Lankan black tea tasting set called "New Uva", "Dimbula Tea", "Ancient City Candy, Blessing of the Sun", and "Rufuna's Treasure, Golden Shine". I also bought tasting cups and tried them all. As I opened the Darjeeling tea, I started drinking it. The aroma was a bit subtle, but the rich flavor spread throughout my mouth. I was hoping for a stronger Darjeeling taste, even though it was a second flush. However, when I tried it alongside the Sri Lankan tea set, the Darjeeling's fragrance stood out. Personally, I prefer a stronger taste, but it was still very delicious. Uva: This Uva tea has a strong menthol aroma, which is different from the usual. It has a refreshing mint-like freshness and a strong bitterness. Dimbula: Very easy to drink. This was my favorite among the four. It has a well-balanced flavor. Candy: You can feel a caramel-like burnt sugar aroma at the back of your mouth. Rufuna: It has a scent similar to Pu-erh tea. A tea for those who enjoy the aroma. According to the shop's website, it has a high fermentation level. After trying each tea, I blended all five and made a milk tea, which was very delicious. When you blend all five and make a milk tea, the flavors are very enjoyable. Normally, I drink tea and coffee without adding anything, but with strong flavored teas, making them into milk tea allows the aroma and taste to shine without being overpowered by the milk. By the way, the shop recommends having Ceylon tea as milk tea. I plan to visit the shop soon.

About a month ago, on my way from Daimaru Kyoto to Oreno Pan, I came across this shop that caught my attention! I tried the milk tea, but I was in a hurry that day as I had to go to Komyo with my son after buying bread, so I said, "I'll come back and take my time next time!" and left the shop. Later, I found out that the shop was the same as the tea shop recommended by the My Reviewer Tonshi-san, and I was surprised! I tried to order the tea recommended by Tonshi-san online, but I had some PC trouble and couldn't complete the order... So, I decided to go directly to the Kyoto Select Shop to buy the tea! I bought the Emperor's Summer Harvest Darjeeling from the Castleton Tea Estate [CASTLETON 2012 Second Flush (Summer Harvest) 50g 1,800 yen]. It's a tea made from Darjeeling leaves picked in the summer! The light fragrance is reminiscent of Chinese flower tea, almost like jasmine, with a floral scent. It changed my perception of Darjeeling tea. From the shop's website: ● SECOND FLUSH (Summer Harvest) After a short break, the Second Flush is harvested. Second Flush Darjeeling has a rich flavor. The Second Flush Darjeeling harvested in the Darjeeling region is known for its unique sweetness called "Muscatel Flavor." It is often referred to as the "taste of Second Flush."

I tried the Masala Chai they offered for tasting and it was delicious, so I ended up purchasing it.