noun
first-grade tea; first-picked tea
Refers to tea made from the first harvest of the year, considered the highest quality. Common in tea-growing contexts.
一番茶は香りが高く、味がまろやかです。
First-picked tea has a rich aroma and a mellow flavor.
New tea of the year, often synonymous with 一番茶, but can refer more broadly to the first fresh tea of the season.
Compound of 一番 (first, number one) and 茶 (tea). The term is transparently derived from its components.