Uogashi Meicha うおがし銘茶

I purchased this tea at the “Cha Ginza” tea room in Tokyo in the fall of 2013. From the Kumamoto area of southern Japan, this is a tama ryokucha style green tea, meaning the leaves are kneaded into a slightly curled shape.

The prominent sticker on the bag is the character for autumn (秋). I’m not sure if this indicates a particular quality of the tea, or simply marks at as a seasonal limited availability item.

The leaves are a muted yellow-green color, small and slightly curled, with some brighter stems are mixed in. The aroma is sweet and grassy like other Kyushu sencha, although perhaps not as strong as e.g. Yame-cha.

My experience with this tea is that it holds up extremely well to hot water. Brewing at 208°F for 30 seconds brings out a wonderful toasty aroma, like baked bread. The taste is mild and smooth, without much caffeine despite the high temperature.