Saicho Hojicha Wins IWSC Gold Medal 

• The Sparkling Tea was awarded a score of 96/100 within the growing No/Low Category 

• The IWSC's Low & No Awards has seen huge growth over the past few years 

(LONDON, United Kingdom) Saicho Sparkling Tea's Hojicha has been awarded a Gold Medal at this year's IWSC Low & No Awards. The International Wine & Spirits Competition (IWSC)  is the world's largest and most influential spirits awards. The awards has a 50 year legacy, and is  judged by a panel of experts  who select the best tasting wine, spirits and non-alcoholic spirits across the world. 

Said the IWSC of Saicho Hojicha; ​​“Both an expressive and complex nose and palate with layers of buttered toast, jasmine tea and sweet cinnamon latte. Tannin and sweetness are well balanced. Offers a long finish and is simply quite beautiful.” Saicho is a single origin sparkling tea brand which produces prestigious cold-brewed sparkling teas. Saicho offers an elevated way to enjoy non-alcoholic drinking and dining with pioneering premium teas that promote as much nuance, flavour and provenance as premium wines.

The IWSC's Low & No Awards is its biggest recent success story with entries growing for the third year. 2022 entries for the 1.2% and lower category were up over 225% versus the previous year demonstrating the continuing surge in popularity and relevance for these drinks. 28 gold medals were awarded to entrants for this category, as well as 104 silver medal winners and 138 bronze medal winners. Two medals – the Zero Alcohol Trophy and the Low Alcohol Trophy (under 1.2%) were also created this year to reward the two best performing drinks in this year's judging.

Saicho Founder Natalie Chiu said “We are delighted to achieve a rating of 96/100 for Hojicha Sparkling Tea at the IWSC 2022 Awards in the Low and No Category. It is an honour to have our sparkling tea recognised by such a prestigious competition. The no and low alcohol space is continuing to expand with a variety of innovative, quality products, and we are especially proud to have earned this recognition amongst such good company.”

The IWSC has been tasting and reviewing the world's finest wine and spirits for over 50 years. In that time, it has earned a reputation for innovation and engagement, as well as for unbiased, meticulous and authoritative judging.

David T Smith, member of the IWSC's Judging Committee comments: “There has been real progress made in the low alcohol space over the past couple of years. It is very clear that producers are putting some serious time, effort, and innovation into increasing quality.

“The judges tasted the full spectrum of low alcohol drinks, from beer to wine through to the spirits and what has been great to see is how very good some of the alternatives to what we consider traditional alcoholic beverages are, and for those created to be a substitute, how difficult it would be to tell the difference between some of them.”

Online Orders Per Flavour

• 200ml bottle (Jasmine, Darjeeling, Hojicha) for £4.99 GBP
• 750ml bottle (Jasmine, Darjeeling, Hojicha) for £17.45 GBP
• 750ml bottle of Eight Immortals for £32.99 GBP

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About Saicho

Saicho is a single origin sparkling tea brand. Setting a new trend with its prestigious cold-brewed sparkling teas that speak the language of wine, Saicho offers an elevated way to enjoy non-alcoholic drinking and dining with its pioneering premium teas that promote as much nuance, flavour and provenance as premium wines – now available via www.saichodrinks.com.

Perfect for pairing dinners, aperitifs or to celebrate with a toast on a sparkling note, Saicho is the creation of Hong Kong native Natalie and her partner Charlie Winkworth-Smith, who first established the luxurious effervescent tea brand in the United Kingdom. The exciting new drink is the product of Natalie's exposure to two well-established tea cultures and offers a unique and refreshing beverage ideal for the growing discerning crowds who are seeking to drink less alcohol.

Since its launch, Saicho has been welcomed by numerous renowned sommeliers, hoteliers and consumers, praised for its quality and versatility. The burgeoning world of non-alcoholic drinks continues to grow with consumers increasingly looking for more refined and premium options with the ceremony and complexity of a fine wine.

Please find tasting notes and pairings below for each tea currently in the Saicho range. 

Darjeeling

This black tea is grown in the foothills of the Himalayas in Darjeeling, India, at almost 2,000 metres above sea level. Harvested in the summer to develop its unique Darjeeling flavour, the tea has notes of wood spice, nectarine and muscatel and has a subtle astringency. 

Hojicha 

Originating in Kyoto in the 1920s as a way of utilising leftover leaves, stems, stalks and twigs, Hojicha is a roasted green tea from Japan. The tea has a deep umami character and notes of nori seaweed, roasted hazelnut and delicate smoke, with dry and woody tannins. 

Jasmine 

Scented with jasmine blossoms, this green tea from Fuding, in Fujian province, China, has a delicate floral aroma and notes of apple sherbet, lychee and vanilla, making it a refreshing aperitif. 

Eight Immortals 

Named after one of China's most well-known myths about the legendary Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea, this tea is a rare Dan Cong tea cultivar from Guangdong province, China. With a subtle savouriness and lightly tannic finish, the Eight Immortals tea has notes of ginger, mango, tangerine and melon.

Saicho

Online shop: www.saichodrinks.com 

Instagram: @saichodrinks

Facebook: @saichodrinks

Media Contact

Amara Communications

Allie Williams

allie@amaracomms.com

07979 711 262