Benifuuki
Originally bred for black tea; now famous as a green tea exceptionally high in methylated catechins.
Benifuuki (べにふうき) is a Japanese cultivar registered in 1993, a cross of the black-tea cultivar Benihomare with the Darjeeling-derived line Makura Cd86. It was bred to make Western-style black and semi-fermented tea, and as a black tea it is malty and brisk.
Its fame, however, comes from an accident of chemistry: when processed as an unshaded green tea, Benifuuki retains unusually high levels of O-methylated catechins (EGCG3"Me"), which research links to anti-allergy effects. It is now widely sold as a functional green tea and tea powder for hay-fever relief, with a characteristically astringent, robust cup.
Teas produced
Flavor signature
Growing regions
- Japan (Kagoshima)
Origins where Benifuuki grows
Brands likely carrying Benifuuki
Direct-sourcing operations with focus areas that align with this cultivar's typical growing regions.