Now that advent calendars are done, it’s time to get into the habit of taking the time to drink these Japanese teas on a regular basis, because my cupboard is overflowing with subscription teas from Obubu! Plus I just really love Japanese green teas, roasted or otherwise.
This was one of a few sealed packets left from a sampler set that I bought when I was at their tea farm in Wazuka last year. Seems an easy place to start for sipping things down! I used 160°F water in my kyusu, and did 3 steeps – 60s, 15s, and 45s.
To me, this is the essence of sencha. The beginning of the sip was very light and grassy with some hay notes, but an umami steamed spinach note soon appeared and grew in intensity over time. It filled my mouth and lingered in my cheeks long after the sip. I would describe it as green, brothy, and full of life – perfect for Spring! There was some underlying fresh grassiness present as well, and a creamy texture reminiscent of edamame. The finish was long and lingering, picking up soft floral and fuzzy apricot notes after the vegetal taste subsided a bit. I found little sweetness to this tea, as the savory and pleasantly bitter notes dominated and made me feel full of energy. A very full-flavored sencha with a nice intensity and a touch of astringency.
I found the name to be perfect, as I could just imagine the little shoots saving up all of their concentrated flavor over the winter months, and exploding with such energy and joy in the Spring.
(starting off with a conservative rating until I get a few more sencha in…)
Flavors: Apricot, Astringent, Bitter, Creamy, Floral, Freshly Cut Grass, Grass, Green, Hay, Soybean, Spinach, Thick, Umami, Vegetable Broth, Vegetal
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I recently finished a pouch of Obubu’s Sencha of the Summer Sun that I got from What-Cha earlier in the year. It was very good stuff.
I have that one too! (of course)
I think Sencha of the Wind will be next, as I have 3 different batches of it… (facepalm)
Sounds So Yummy
Hmm, I think my last sencha was the one that eastkyteaguy mentioned. I recall having some pure greens, but somehow I am not craving for them recently.
I don’t do straight-up green tee often enough to have developed a good palate for it; I know I like sencha and I know I like dragonwell, but have never bothered to consider how the two are different.
Well as long as you enjoy it, that’s the important part!
I recently finished a pouch of Obubu’s Sencha of the Summer Sun that I got from What-Cha earlier in the year. It was very good stuff.
I have that one too! (of course)
I think Sencha of the Wind will be next, as I have 3 different batches of it… (facepalm)
Sounds So Yummy
Hmm, I think my last sencha was the one that eastkyteaguy mentioned. I recall having some pure greens, but somehow I am not craving for them recently.
I don’t do straight-up green tee often enough to have developed a good palate for it; I know I like sencha and I know I like dragonwell, but have never bothered to consider how the two are different.
Well as long as you enjoy it, that’s the important part!