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6oz Teapot (180ml)
Tea Leaves – 5g
Water Temp – 60˚C and 90˚C
Four Steeps – 45s per steep

The Yunomi club sent me this sample with instructions to taste the first and third steep at 60˚C so I can experience the full (umami) of the tea.

“Umami, or savoriness, is one of the five basic tastes (together with sweet, sour, bitter and salty)”.- On Yunomi website.

Getting my umami on sounds like fun so I shall follow said instructions. The leaves are such a beautiful dark green colour and are very reflective and shiny. They look like tiny needles in various lengths. It has a sweet, floral yet toasty scent. I think it may be the sweetest Sencha I have ever sniffed, but it’s just such a beautiful fragrance. This is one of those times I wish smell-o-vision was invented.

First Steep – 45s – 60˚C
Very subtle in flavour (as expected) but what is present is an amazing sweetness that is floral, grassy and yet tastes candied in a perfume sort of way. I know that may not make much sense but I believe this to be no ordinary Sencha. When I say sweet I mean honey sweet. Perhaps this is considered as a rinse? But why waste good tea when you can drink the rinse.

Second Steep – 45s – 90˚C
The increase in water temperature has clouded the water some. Also the raw leaves are stripped of some colour and are now lighter green. Flavour is still very sweet but much thicker than previously and with a little astringency. Floral, mineral, grassy and perfumed.

Third Steep – 45s – 60˚C
Remains cloudy. Increasing in sweetness once again without any astringency or thick mineral tastes. It is a touch dry in the after taste now which is mostly from the perfumed element.

Fourth Steep – 45s – 90˚C
I can taste that the end of this tea is present, it is now the mellowest of all four steeps and only bares a grassy sweetness.

Yunomi has mentioned eating green tea leaves before so I had a go with this tea since it was so very sweet. My first reaction was to expect it to be bitter but I found it no different than eating a piece of fresh spinach leaf. It would be great in a salad, or perhaps served next to some rice and beancurd.

I dare say that this is the best sencha that I have ever tried. It was amazing from start to finish in each aspect (quality, scent, flavour, experience). This has been added to my must buy list from Yunomi. Simply amazing!