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“And the spring green tea marathon continues. I’ve been drinking green tea almost every day this month while my 2019 teas are still fresh and haven’t grown tired of them (yet). My shincha order...” Read full tasting note
“This one sold out quickly last year, so I had to try it out this time around. I’d say Yuuki-cha’s description is spot on. It’s definitely not your typical Japanese sencha—less vegetal and more...” Read full tasting note
A limited lighter steamed organic sencha from Yakushima Island. This is made from 100% Kuritawase (absolutely no blending whatsoever), without doubt one of the most intriguing and unique green tea cultivars from Japan.
What amazes you first about it are the fantastic aromatics from the dry leaves. Incredible fragrance, very unique floral scent. The lighter steaming really helps keep those aromas intact when brewed, the fragrance is very noticeable when pouring out the liquor from the teapot. The lighter steaming also gives the resulting tea a clearer, lighter, more delicate taste. Very exotic fresh taste with a fusion of delicate savory notes, subtle fruity notes, sweetness, and a nice cleansing astringency.
Definitely one not to miss especially during shincha season!
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And the spring green tea marathon continues. I’ve been drinking green tea almost every day this month while my 2019 teas are still fresh and haven’t grown tired of them (yet). My shincha order arrived the other day and I wasted no time diving right in.
This is an asamushi (light-steamed) sencha that’s described as subtle and aromatic. The leaves smell like flowers and grass, not fresh cut grass but grass that’s been outside drying. Wet leaf smells like spinach and cruciferous vegetables. First steep produces a pale yellow-green liquor with floral and umami notes. It becomes brothy as the tea cools. Second infusion is a brisker cup with a greener color and a refreshing grassy flavor. By the third steep, the flavor lightens and has a faint citrus hint.
A solid but unexciting sencha. Mellow flavor and very drinkable, but nothing really pops out at me.
Flavors: Grass, Umami, Vegetal
This one sold out quickly last year, so I had to try it out this time around. I’d say Yuuki-cha’s description is spot on. It’s definitely not your typical Japanese sencha—less vegetal and more fruity, floral, oceanic. If chlorophyl had a named flavor, I’d add it to the list. It has a very nice body for a light-steamed sencha. The tea liquor is clear yet more green than some gyokuro I’ve had. It induces a very calming and cooling feeling. It’s perfect for summer.
For those that care, I brewed this with a gaiwan and rough-clay yakishime kyusu. The early steeps with the gaiwan are more sharp and floral—even somewhat grassy. The kyusu brewed a more balanced and aromatic cup with more distinctive mineral and moss/sweet forest notes. Taste-wise, I can’t say I prefer one brewing method over the other, aside from the kyusu being more aesthetically pleasing, which enhances the whole sencha-drinking experience, IMO.
I’ve been considering this one for my shincha purchase. Glad to hear its as described.
What up old friend!
Yuuki-cha has so many different senchas. I wish they had sample sizes so I could try ALL of them but I can only drink so much when each one is 100g.
@Ubacat, yes, that’s my biggest gripe with Yuuki-Cha too. It would be so awesome if they ofered samplers. I’ve been ordering from them for years and still haven’t managed to try everything because the selection is so huge.
But the good thing is you hardly ever get a bad tea from them.
I was going to order this one but changed my mind. At least it’s in the mid range price. I get upset when I pay high range and it doesn’t live up to my expectation.
Jury is still out on this one as I figure out the right brewing parameters. Sometimes it doesn’t happen until I’ve gotten through half of the bag. Japanese greens are finicky like that. I picked up Chiran Sencha as well and hopefully I have better luck with it.
I had Chiran Sencha in 2017 and my personal note on it was it was okay, nothing more. This year I tried out Magakoro which you had last year. I’ve been trying a few different brewing parameters before I leave a review but so far it’s not living up to the high price range.
I had quite the marathon myself, only I’ve been gravitating more to Chinese greens this year with a couple of senchas in the mix…with one on its way now. Have you had O-cha’s organic Oku Yutaka sencha? It seems to be their most popular item.
@tanluwils I haven’t ordered from O-Cha in a while but I’m definitely going to check that one out. The last sencha I bought from them was Organic Kirishima and it was ridiculously good. This year’s shincha at Yuuki-Cha was good but not great so I’m looking at other vendors for my next order.