Open up your packet of Kagoshima Sencha Yutaka Midori, draw in deeply, and you’ll be hit with the heavenly aroma of extraordinary tea: forest freshness, met by the syrupy sweetness of blackcurrant and the tartier overtones of tropical fruits. You only get this kind of rich aroma when the tea is this fresh — and this good.

Precision pays off with this shincha: oversteep it by 10 or 20 seconds and you’ll find that the tea has developed a sharpness that can be off-putting. But get it just right and you’ll be rewarded with a wonderful sencha, a broth with flavours of steamed vegetables and a chewy texture.

Available from O-Cha

© Eric for Tea Finely Brewed, 2010. | Shincha 2010: Kagoshima Sencha Yutaka Midori | No comment |
Post categories: Green tea, Tea reviews
Post tags: 2010 Shincha, First flush 2010, Japanese green tea, Japanese teas, Kagoshima tea, Kagoshima Yutaka Midori, O-Cha, shincha

Kagoshima Shincha Yutaka Midori 2009

My package of Kagoshima Shincha Yutaka Midori 2009 arrived last week, earlier than expected. This is the second time I’ve ordered tea from O-Cha, and on both occasions I have been impressed with how quickly my tea arrived.

This shincha leaps out at me. It is unmistakably fresh, with an aroma dominated by blackcurrant. The smell of the rich dark green leaves reminds me of a forest floor – perhaps there is a hint of pine here.

I brew the tea in my porcelain Japanese teapot at 78° C for a minute. Following O-Cha’s instructions, I use roughly a teaspoon in 250ml (8oz) of water. It quickly becomes apparent that shincha needs to be brewed carefully. When I leave it to steep for 1:30, the astringency bites. Later, I also try steeping the tea at a lower temperature, which gives it a milder character.

The powder of the leaves swirls around in the tea, giving the appearance of a green miso soup. When I first sip this, I wonder if this tea is designed to be consumed alongside sushi or fish – something suggests to me that shincha would be a perfect accompaniment to either dish. The flavour is of steamed vegetables. I drink it and feel nourished, revitalized.

This is my first taste of shincha, but it has left me with that happy feeling that comes from discovering – yet again – how deep and rich the world of tea is.

Kagoshima Shincha Yutaka Midori 2009 2010 is available from O-Cha for $24.95 per 100 grams.

© eric for Tea Finely Brewed, 2009. | Kagoshima Shincha Yutaka Midori 2009 | 2 comments |
Post categories: Green tea, Tea reviews
Post tags: Japanese teas, Kagoshima tea, Kagoshima Yutaka Midori, Sencha, shincha