Kazuto Mint Black & Green Tea Blend

Roasted Hojicha, refreshing peppermint, and black tea come together in a distinctive blend inspired by a memorable cup shared with a second-generation Japanese tea farmer.

The Experience

Kazuto Mint Black & Green Tea Blend begins with an encounter in Japan.

Nearly a decade ago, during a visit to the Fujieda tea-growing region, a second-generation tea farmer named Kazuto welcomed us to his family's farm. As he shared the story of his family and their tea, he served an unexpected combination: Hojicha and peppermint.

The pairing was memorable enough to inspire this tea. Kazuto Mint builds on that experience by combining roasted Hojicha green tea with refreshing peppermint and a touch of black tea. Hojicha contributes warm, roasted nuttiness; peppermint brings a cool aromatic lift; and black tea provides additional depth and balance.

This tea is unusual yet remarkably harmonious: roasted, refreshing, smooth, and medium-bodied.

Tasting Notes

Top: Cool peppermint • Fresh mint
Mid: Roasted Hojicha • Toasted nuttiness
Finish: Black tea • Smooth • Balanced
Body: Medium

Why You’ll Love It

• Inspired by a memorable tea-farm experience in Japan
• Combines green tea, black tea, and peppermint
• Roasted Hojicha provides warm, nutty character
• Peppermint creates a refreshing contrast
• Black tea adds depth and balance
• A distinctive alternative to conventional mint tea
• Delicious for customers who enjoy both roasted and refreshing flavors

Tea & Ingredients

Tea Type: Black & Green Tea Blend
Green Tea Style: Hojicha
Ingredients: Green tea, black tea, peppermint
Added Flavoring: None listed
Body: Medium
Classification: Blended
Caffeine: Caffeinated

How to Brew

Kazuto Mint can be brewed at two different temperatures, depending on which side of the blend you want to emphasize.

For a deeper, black-tea-forward cup:
Use 212°F / 100°C water and steep for 2 minutes. The hotter water brings greater depth and structure from the black tea while keeping the roasted Hojicha and cooling peppermint present.

For a lighter, green-tea-forward cup:
Use 170°F / 77°C water and steep for 2 minutes. The cooler temperature emphasizes the smoother green-tea character and creates a gentler backdrop for the peppermint.

Try brewing it both ways. The same blend can shift from deeper and more robust to lighter and more refreshing simply by changing the water temperature.

Perfect For

Kazuto Mint is particularly suited to mint-tea lovers looking for something different, Hojicha fans, Japanese-tea explorers, after-meal sipping, or anyone who enjoys contrasting flavors in the same cup. Its combination of roast and mint also makes it versatile with food. Try it with dark chocolate, sesame desserts, rice dishes, grilled foods, roasted vegetables, or simple butter cookies.

The Story Behind the Name: Kazuto

This tea isn't named for an ingredient or flavor. It is named for Kazuto, a second-generation tea farmer we encountered in the Fujieda region of Japan.

During a visit to his family's farm nearly a decade ago, Kazuto welcomed his guests with tea and conversation. The tea he served was a simple but memorable blend of Hojicha and peppermint.

That moment became the inspiration for this blend. Rather than reproducing the cup exactly, Kazuto Mint takes the idea one step further. Hojicha and peppermint remain at its heart, while a touch of black tea adds additional body and balance.

It is a reminder that tea knowledge isn't learned only from books, classes, or formal tastings. Sometimes it begins with someone welcoming you to a table and sharing the way they drink tea.

What Makes Hojicha Different From Other Green Tea?

Hojicha begins as green tea, but its leaves are roasted after their initial processing. Roasting transforms the familiar grassy character associated with many green teas into warmer notes reminiscent of toasted grain and roasted nuts.

That makes Hojicha especially interesting in a blend. Rather than contributing the fresh vegetation you might expect from Sencha, it gives Kazuto Mint a warm roasted foundation beneath the peppermint.

And despite its brown appearance and roasted flavor, Hojicha remains a style of green tea—the darker color comes from roasting, not from turning it into black tea.

Kazuto Mint vs. Traditional Mint Green Tea

If you're accustomed to mint paired with a conventional green tea, Kazuto Mint offers a very different experience.

Kazuto Mint Black & Green Tea Blend (This Tea)
Roasted • Peppermint • Nutty • Balanced
→ Best for: a deeper, toastier interpretation of mint tea

Traditional Mint Green Tea
Fresh • Vegetal • Minty • Bright
→ Best for: a lighter combination of fresh green tea and mint

The difference comes largely from the tea underneath the peppermint. With Kazuto Mint, roasting turns mint tea in an entirely different direction.

Packaging: Our loose teas are sold by the ounce and packaged in food-grade resealable bags.