Everyone decided to go on an outing today for crepes and shopping at Costco, I was not feeling much for going out (or waking up yet) so I decided to stay home and get some moderately fulfilling sleep. I was already awake when everyone returned, having my tea and breakfast, when I am presented with an industrial size bottle of Lactaid and a giant, bulk package of seasoned, roasted, seaweed. I feel so loved!
Today’s tea is Sencha Fuka-Midori by Den’s Tea, part of the Green Tea Sampler For Novices offered on their website. This specific Sencha is a first flush plucked in Shizuoka prefecture and is from the Yabukita varietal. The aroma is sweet and green, fresh grass and kelp with a touch of artichoke cover the vegetal end. Chestnut and very faint citrus notes cover the mild sweetness. This tea is very much so the ‘ideal’ of a Sencha, basically it smells exactly like you expect a Sencha to smell like.
Into the Kyusu the leaves go for a nice quick steeping, I find that the recommend steeping parameters are way too hot for this tea, so I steeped it at 160 for 2 minutes. The aroma of the wet leaves is quite sweet with honey notes and very vegetal with notes of cooked spinach with hints of kelp at the finish. The liquid smells both green and buttery, like fresh grass with a very smooth quality. At the finish there is just a tiny, tiny, hint of cooked spinach.
The first thing I notice while sipping is the extremely smooth, almost buttery mouthfeel. It also feels heavy and thick, filling up the mouth with flavor. The taste is a fantastic blend of fresh grass, sweet hay, and cooked spinach. If you want a touch of the more bitter vegetal taste, a slightly higher temperature will turn the cooked spinach to more of a kale taste. This Sencha, like its aroma, is a fine example of an ‘ideal’ Sencha. If you have never had a Sencha before and want to see what one is expected to taste like, this one is a perfect example, I can certainly see why it is in their introductory sampler.
For blog and photos: http://ramblingbutterflythoughts.blogspot.com/2014/03/dens-tea-sencha-fuka-midori-tea-review.html
What is the point of the dried carrot pieces? Curious.
I’ve mixed them with dandelion leaf before, and really liked the taste. They have a sweet, carroty flavor that is an interesting combination with a really vegetal tea.
Thank you. And where are you getting them?
I got the ones I currently have from the Butiki blending box, but you can find them on amazon.
Thank you. I had no idea.
You’re welcome! I’m trying to encourage greater knowledge and appreciation of herbal teas here on steepster. It’s what I drink most often, and I enjoy the wide variety of flavors. I’m still exploring myself, but I like to share what I’ve learned so far.
Yes, very much interested in herbal teas. What are your favourites or favourite tea blenders?
I am on tea moratorium for now. Far too many teas, but I am saving ideas for future.I would be interested in blending boxes if such things exist not that Butiki is gone, so if you hear of good quality ones, I’d like to know.
I especially like chamomile, peppermint, hibiscus, honeybush, green rooibos, roasted barley, toasted rice, and brewing cocoa. I like floral teas a lot, but am still trying to find good herbal varieties. I enjoy Celestial Seasoning’s line of Zinger (Hibiscus) teas, and a few of their other herbal blends. Adagio has some nice honeybush and fruity blends, and I really like their Green Rooibos Blueberry and Rooibos Earl Grey (although I don’t particularly care for the variety of Red Rooibos they use, so this blend is the only one I like). David’s Tea’s Forever Nuts is quite good, although I haven’t tried many of their other herbals yet. Lupicia has a good Barley tea. I haven’t tasted many of their other teas yet. I’ve liked everything I’ve tried so far from Numi, but that’s only a few things so far. Rebublic of Tea’s Coconut Cocoa is good, but I haven’t enjoyed too many of their other herbal teas. Stash’s Hibiscus blends taste awful, but I did like their Meyer Lemon, and Cinnamon Apple Chamomile. Twining’s has a nice Peppermint and Chamomile, but I haven’t liked any of their other herbals. 52teas sometimes has nice honeybush blends. Upton Tea Imports has a good straight Hibiscus. Crio Bru is really good, but I’ve found that I like it best if I mix in a little Roasted Barley. I’ve had good luck toasting my own rice for tea. I just used the long grain white rice we bought at our local supermarket. I’ve been working my way through the brands that have less expensive samples first as well as random things I’ve picked up from tea boxes, and the occasional tea that looked especially appealing. I don’t think I’ve seen any blending boxes other than the one that Butiki sent around when they closed, but sometimes nice things for blending show up in the Herbal and Decaf TTB I run. There’s a box out right now and there will probably be a new round of that starting sometime this summer that you could sign up for if you’re interested.