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“Backlog. The second shincha of 2020. Working out the brewing times and temperature for this tea was a rollercoaster of sorts. I don’t know if it’s just me or whether Japanese greens are really...” Read full tasting note
“This one arrived two days ago. It’s a very comforting tea that, to me, differs somewhat from its description and that can be a good thing. I don’t get anything that reminds me of citrus or fruits...” Read full tasting note
“I normally buy my Japanese greens from Yunomi. However, last year I purchased one tea from Yuuki-Cha and enjoyed it so much; I decided to go with them. Based on the reviews of this tea it was...” Read full tasting note
This organic sencha comes from a very experienced tea grower who has been cultivating green tea for over 40 years at a beautiful countryside small-scale tea garden in Shibushi on the east side of Kagoshima. The tea garden is encapsulated by an unblemished natural environment, with pure water, plentiful sunshine, lots of mist, and excellent fertile soil. Please see images below.
The cultivar that the grower uses for this sencha is Yutakamidori which is pretty extensively used to mass produce non-organic sencha throughout Kagoshima tea gardens. However, they are all become heavily reliant on nitrogen heavy chemical fertilizers to obtain an overemphasized and forced umami taste, and use chemical pesticides which, of course, is not what we’re looking to offer. Furthermore, it’s very rare you even get Kagoshima sencha that has been completely finished and packaged by a grower. Tea manufacturers etc., blend it and roast it, then it goes on to tea shops around the country, then to resellers, so no reseller really knows what they are getting in terms of quality regardless of what they tell you.
This Yutakamidori on the other hand is completely authentic. All steps in the cultivation and processing are managed by the grower himself and he sends us the tea directly. He uses a traditional natural Japanese recipe for fertilizer allowing new growth to develop slower, give nourishment to the soil, and keeps the tea bushes vibrant and healthy which creates a much more pure, clean, delicious and balanced tasting cup of aromatic tea.
The grower’s perspective on steaming is not to use the common excessive deep steaming, he prefers to use a method he terms “Kyomushi”, which is strong steam, but shorter than deep steaming. With this steaming method the leaf material remains pretty intact, the infusion is clearer, and the liquor color is a strong bright yellow green. Furthermore, the grower doesn’t excessively roast the leaves on the final stage. He only dries the leaves in order to reduce the moisture content which preserves the lovely natural aromas and taste of Yutakamidori.
Shimofuri when brewed, has an aromatic sweet-smelling fragrance with an initial sweetness followed by a mellow, smooth, and rounded mouthfeel that you might sense to be slightly fruity with notes of citrus or even muscat (green variety). The aftertaste is clean and settles on the tongue for a prolonged period of time after drinking. It’s very delicious organic sencha that we highly recommend to any Kagoshima tea lover that wants to experience the authentic taste and aroma of Yutaka Midori.
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Backlog.
The second shincha of 2020. Working out the brewing times and temperature for this tea was a rollercoaster of sorts. I don’t know if it’s just me or whether Japanese greens are really that finicky but I went through 50g – half the pouch – before I finally got it dialed in.
This tea shows different faces depending on how its brewed. At low temperatures, it’s umami rich and earthy, reminiscent of shaded greens. Japanese green tea connoisseurs tend to favor fairly high leaf-to-water ratios (0.8-0.9g per 1oz) but this can taste swampy and brings out a lot of bitterness. I got the best results by underleafing and brewing western style, just a teaspoon and a half of leaves in a 185ml teapot. The brewed tea is smooth, grassy, and almost fruity with a bit of sweetness and a robust mouthfeel. I can taste a bit of those citrus peel and grapefruit notes too. Good for 3 steeps.
A solid sencha and between this and my other shincha, Kirishima Asatsuyu Sencha, this was the better of the two.
Flavors: Citrus Zest, Earth, Grapefruit, Grass, Spinach, Umami
This one arrived two days ago. It’s a very comforting tea that, to me, differs somewhat from its description and that can be a good thing. I don’t get anything that reminds me of citrus or fruits (as described by Yuukicha) which I actually think is fine since I prefer more warming-savory flavors this time of year.
This has roasted notes possessing a savory-sweetness that reminded me of naturally sweet chestnut and acorn. This is reflected in the aromas of the wet leaf, which is much closer to deep steamed sencha, as there aren’t any intact leaves here (Yuukicha describes the leaves as mostly intact).
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There’s a depth and complexity in the aroma and aftertaste that reminds me of a primordial forest. It has that certain rustic charm that I think is unique to Japanese sencha. It’s perfect for those early autumn mornings.
I normally buy my Japanese greens from Yunomi. However, last year I purchased one tea from Yuuki-Cha and enjoyed it so much; I decided to go with them. Based on the reviews of this tea it was supposed to have a grapefruit/green taste to it. I didn’t really taste the grapefruit but it did have that little astringent bite that would be similar to grapefruit. It was sweet and grassy and lasted through 4 infusions. Best of all this tea was 13.65US for 100g. That’s a good price for good quality shincha.
Very happy with this one.
