Japanese Sencha

On my fourth sip, I swear, for the last fifth of the third second after I took the tea into my mouth, I thought I tasted spinach.

That, or I read in advance this tea was supposed to taste “vegetal.” Impossible to say!

Not being a big green tea fan, this was pretty good. A little green tasting, but not bitter at all, smooth.
A very drinkable green tea.

Sipdown no. 15 of 2019 (no. 503 total). A teabag sample. With this, I’ve met my sipdown goal for January!

I heated the water to 175F in the Breville first, then poured it over the bag and steeped for 1:30.

The tea was a pale lime green color and smelled and tasted just as I expect a sencha to taste. It was grassy, not vegetal, with notes of seaweed and soy.

It was nice for work.

I think this came in the SF Tea Fest goodie bag.

The dry leaf inside the sachet looked quite dark and shiny and smelled like anise, pine, seaweed, grass and a nutty note. The brewed aroma was very similar and also had a pungent umami presence. Following Harney’s brewing recommendation, the very pale yellow-green liquor tasted of grass, seaweed, nuttiness and wood that was a little bitter on the sip. The finish was sour in the back of the mouth and drying, reminding me of granny smith apple skins.

This seems like a pretty solid sachet. It was easy drinking and I was able to get two steeps. I don’t think I’d seek it out but if offered a cup, I would gladly accept.

I wouldn’t recommend this tea to anyone because of its intense seaweed flavor, in my opinion it isn’t refreshing. If you love love love seaweed, go for it.

I had this yesterday, and it left almost zero impression. I kept looking into the depths of my cup of see if it was possible that I had not seen it.
Testing, testing, is this cuppa on?
So, no opinion on this. It seemed too delicate for my cupboard.

I got this as a sample included in my H & S order. I was reluctant to try it because senchas are most definitely not my usual thing. I almost gave the sample away to a friend. I am glad I didn’t. Honestly this was a pleasant surprise. I had it with a naughty piece of vanilla cake and it was perfect little pairing and the only way I’d drink it. I needed the bitter seaweed green with the sweet. If you like senchas you might enjoy this one. Now I can say I tried it again and yep…senchas are not for me.

Burns at 185. Brewed at 175 for 3 minutes and found it to be tasty.
1 sachet makes 16 oz.
Warmed the metal thermos first with 210F water, then added in 175 over the sugar and tea.
Nutty taste is light. More like grass. It’s a very light tea, but has quite a bit of flavor to it. I like it.

I may have oversteeped slightly with my satchet sample. I steeped 3 minutes. User error could be to blame, but I’m not sure. Either way, this was extremely bitter and that’s all I taste. The tea is a golden yellow and I detest bitterness in tea, especially when it’s overpowering.

I am once again trying to sip down old tea, and this one has a few years on it. I have purchased two of the Harney tea chests and plan to get the the third some day. This came from the adorable little one that is $15 and makes a gorgeous gift. I have been hoarding the tea that is in it but I must drink it.

I was having Asian food for lunch a few days ago and chose this to go with it. I got two good steeps out of the little bag, about seven ounces each. It is probably weakened with age but it was still good, with a fresh, grassy taste that wasn’t sour. I even horribly oversteeped the second go ’round but it was fine.

I don’t drink much Sencha as I usually prefer Chinese green teas but this was good and I would have no trouble buying more. It is more of a daily drinker than the rare euphoric green, but perhaps that was due to the age.