Sencha from Asamiya, Yamakai cultivar

Raspberry, melon
Umami★★☆☆ / Astringency★☆☆☆
Body★★☆☆ / Firing★★☆☆

The Yamakai cultivar was selected from a Yabukita seed and originally designated Shizu-7166 in 1949. It was commercialized in 1967 and renamed Yamakai. This tea tree variety has very distinct fragrances but, unfortunately, it is quite rare today. It was long used as a shaded tea, but when it is grown in full sun, it produces a sencha that truly makes the most of its delicious fruity fragrances. It is one of our favourite teas here at Thés du Japon.
This example comes from Asamiya. More accurately, it comes from the only remaining Yamakai variety tea garden in that production region. While the producer usually shades it, he agreed to keep some of it unshaded for us!

This sencha has the berry fragrances reminiscent of raspberry jam typical of this cultivar. On the palate, this tea is refreshing at first and relatively light. Then sweet aromas, reminiscent of raspberry jam and berry candies, come through clearly in retro-olfaction and the after-taste.
This sweet after-taste is very persistent but not at all heavy. It is light, elegant and especially very mouth-watering.
With its present but moderate umami, as well as a touch of astringency, this is a very balanced, fluid sencha, with a mineral sensation.
This rare sencha from Asamiya has superb sensations in the throat and lasting fruity aromas, which are clear Yamakai characteristics. Since it is a medium roast, it is slightly different from this part of the Kansai region’s very green teas, but it is also very different from the unshaded Yamakais that can still be found in Shizuoka.

Type of tea : Futsumushi sencha
Origin : Hirao, Kami-Asamiya, Shigaraki town, Kôga city, Shiga prefecture
Cultivar : Yamakai
Harvest : May 13th, 2023

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