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Cameron B. drank "Hoju" Aracha Green Tea from Sayama by Morita Tea Garden

3986 tasting notes

Today is going to be unofficial Yunomi day for me! I noticed when posting reviews on their website that they’re giving 300 points per review right now ($3 basically). So I figured now was the perfect time to sample of the teas from their monthly club in addition to a few other teas I got from Cheri in a swap. Saving up points to buy some more of those interestingly flavored houjichas!

Anyway! This is my first-ever aracha. In fact, I had to look it up to find out what makes this type of tea different from say, sencha or kukicha. And I found out that aracha is tea that is finished (meaning dried, steamed, etc.) but is not sorted into grades as tea normally is. Therefore, it includes leaves, stems, and finer particles that are normally sifted out. In short, it’s basically every part of the leaf in one tea! Interesting. I can definitely see a difference in the dry leaf – it’s a varied mix of differently sized leaf pieces along with the lighter-colored stems. Dry scent is strong on the grass and sweet alfalfa with a touch of seaweed.

Steeped tea smells sweet and spinachy. The taste is quite delicious! It seems quite similar to sencha to me. There’s a definite strong umami element at first, but as the sip progresses it calms to a sweet and creamy alfala and spinach flavor. I can definitely see the combination of sencha and kukicha here. The aftertaste is pure sweet creaminess. Delicious!

Flavors: Creamy, Grass, Seaweed, Spinach, Sweet, Umami

Preparation

175 °F / 79 °C 0 min, 45 sec 1 tsp 8 OZ / 236 ML

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2 comments

Mikumofu
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I’ve never heard of aracha either, there’s always more tea terminology to learn!

Cameron B.
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Yep, especially with Japanese greens. So many different styles!

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Mikumofu
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I’ve never heard of aracha either, there’s always more tea terminology to learn!

Cameron B.
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Yep, especially with Japanese greens. So many different styles!

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Bio

Hi, I’m Cameron! I’m a 30-something software engineer currently living in Austin, Texas with my husband and our two pugs, Gobo and Ume. I tend to cycle between my different hobbies, and they include piano, knitting, video games, board games, miniature painting, planners, bento, KBeauty, and – of course – TEA! But really, what I’m best at is “collecting” hobby-related things… ;)

~ 2024 SIPDOWN CHALLENGE! ~
- January Sipdowns: 6
- Total 2024 Sipdowns: 6

I prefer my tea lukewarm or at room temperature and without milk or sugar. I steep Western style, and fluctuate between using big mugs or small teapots depending on the season. Occasionally I’ll brew Gongfu style when I’m in the mood. I’ll also often use a kyusu for Japanese teas.

I am always up for a swap! Just let me know if you’d like to try something in my cupboard.

Tea Preferences:
I enjoy both flavored and unflavored teas in many forms. These days, I drink mostly flavored teas, and I tend to gravitate most toward black, green, oolong, and herbal varieties. I do have a special fondness for straight Japanese green teas, however. I also enjoy maté, rooibos, and honeybush. I love matcha and drink it often! Fruit tisanes are not a favorite, but I’m always willing to try them.

I do not sweeten my teas, and pre-sweetened teas are usually too sweet for me. I also do not enjoy stevia.

Fruit: All of them! My ‘go-to’s tend to be in the red fruits, stonefruit, or citrus spectra. I also really love apple, banana, berry, fig, lychee, melon, pear, and rhubarb flavors. Tropical fruits aren’t among my favorites, but I still enjoy them once in a while – especially passionfruit, mango, and pineapple. I am not generally a fan of coconut in tea, though there are some exceptions.

Dessert: I love creamy vanilla and marshmallow flavors, along with anything in the caramel family such as butterscotch, toffee, or maple. Chocolate is also a favorite, though I’m often disappointed by it in tea. And don’t forget anything buttery, cakey, or cookie-y!

Floral: I’m a little bit more particular in this category. I very much enjoy jasmine, even strong jasmine, along with sakura, chamomile, and elderflower. Osmanthus is also a favorite of mine. But I’m not crazy about rose or lavender flavors, and I prefer hibiscus in moderation only.

Spices: I don’t generally find myself drawn to masala chai, but I do enjoy spices combined with other flavors. My favorite spices are the warm ones, especially cinnamon, nutmeg, anise, and cardamom. A bit of heat from black pepper or chili is okay too, as long as it’s not overwhelming! Ginger can be a lovely accent, but I find it difficult to drink as a starring flavor.

Aromatics: I’m obsessed with Earl Grey! I also love cooling flavors such as mint (especially spearmint), pine, juniper, and eucalyptus. I am not a fan of strong rosemary or sage in tea.

Favorite Companies:
3 Leaf
Bird & Blend
Dammann Frères
Harney & Sons
Kyoto Obubu Tea Farms
Lupicia
Old Barrel Tea Co
Simpson & Vail
Taiwan Tea Crafts
TeaVivre

Tea Rating Scale:
90-100: Outstanding! Permanent cupboard resident
80-89: Great – a possible staple
70-79: Good, but I wouldn’t buy it
60-69: It’s decent
50-59: Meh… I may or may not have finished the cup
40-49: Ick. Couldn’t finish it.
00-39: Repulsive, I spat it out

I will sometimes refrain from rating a tea if I feel I’m too biased due to my personal dislikes, or if I suspect the sample has been compromised by age or scent contamination.

Cupboard Spreadsheet:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ZEuKf1-ppR-VXajO4vV39zU1N3zjFJteEPAynqD2yl0/edit?usp=sharing