Maiko "Official" Japanese tea topic

Comprehensive member driven guide to vendors of all teas


User avatar
Dec 17th, '09, 15:08
Posts: 20891
Joined: Apr 22nd, '06, 20:52
Scrolling: scrolling
Location: Back in the TeaCave atop Mt. Fuji
Been thanked: 2 times

Maiko "Official" Japanese tea topic

by Chip » Dec 17th, '09, 15:08

NEW! Official Japanese Green Tea Vendor Guide: Maiko Consider this a perennial topic for Japanese teas from Maiko.

http://www.maiko.ne.jp/english/
http://stores.ebay.com/The-JAPAN-STORE_ ... Z1QQ_sopZ2

Official Japanese Green Tea Vendor Guide. Let's see what happens with this wild and crazy idea. You can view the main Japanese TeaVendor Guide here: http://www.teachat.com/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=11556 and the main TeaVendor Guide here: http://www.teachat.com/viewforum.php?f=60

User avatar
Dec 20th, '09, 04:35
Posts: 1132
Joined: Nov 28th, '08, 15:14

Re: "Official" Maiko Japanese tea topic

by Oni » Dec 20th, '09, 04:35

Maiko`s gyokuro Fugenji Midori, was unique, nothing I could compare it too, and when I had it for 2000 Y, only 20 $, it was the best price vs quality gyokuro I had, it has a strong aftertaste, and a pine aroma, and the color is dark green, still after their price raise, that is a bit high for my taste, and totaly uncalled for, at least they should have made a progressive and lower rate price increase, but I still would pay for their fugenji 27 $ it is still worth it.

User avatar
Dec 21st, '09, 01:57
Posts: 20891
Joined: Apr 22nd, '06, 20:52
Scrolling: scrolling
Location: Back in the TeaCave atop Mt. Fuji
Been thanked: 2 times

Re: "Official" Maiko Japanese tea topic

by Chip » Dec 21st, '09, 01:57

Oni wrote:... still after their price raise, that is a bit high for my taste, and totaly uncalled for, at least they should have made a progressive and lower rate price increase, but I still would pay for their fugenji 27 $ it is still worth it.
I suspect Maiko's margins were too small and could not absorb the rise of the Yen to the Dollar.

I have enjoyed several of the traditional (asamushi) Uji sencha although not as much of the 2009 harvest as harvests past ... I will have to correct this. :D

User avatar
Apr 25th, '10, 22:14
Posts: 1574
Joined: Dec 30th, '08, 21:16
Location: The foot of the great Smoky Mountains

Re: Maiko "Official" Japanese tea topic

by iannon » Apr 25th, '10, 22:14

I just ordered some of their Gyokuro Yamashita-Jirushi along with a shincha.. I havent had any decent Gyo in a while and thought i'd try some of this..anyone had?

User avatar
May 2nd, '10, 02:35
Posts: 28
Joined: Apr 21st, '10, 00:59
Location: Red River Valley of the North

Re: Maiko "Official" Japanese tea topic

by tmorten » May 2nd, '10, 02:35

I have also been curious about trying Maiko's Yamashita gyokuros. He is an expert in gyokuro production and has won various awards. Also, his gyokuros are all hand picked and processed by hand. Some of his gyos are extremely expensive though :shock:

I have been looking at trying either the Jirushi or the Shuppin Yamashita gyokuro. These two are on the lower end of his gyo selection, but they are also moderately priced and within my budget. :D

Has anyone ever tried any of the Yamashita gyokuros from Maiko? Iannon, you'll have to let us know what you think of the gyo when you get it.

User avatar
May 11th, '10, 00:29
Posts: 1574
Joined: Dec 30th, '08, 21:16
Location: The foot of the great Smoky Mountains

Re: Maiko "Official" Japanese tea topic

by iannon » May 11th, '10, 00:29

Got it!
Yamashita Gyokuro Jirushi arrived today along with some Shincha Kinari. I had to bust open the Gyo first since I have 2 shinchas open already.

Image
very nice looking needles of leafy Gyo goodness

Image
Clear yellowish infusion. sweet mild flavor. I taste macadamia nuts? am I crazy? second infusion was a deeper yellow.
I have gone thru 4 infusions now. Started at 3oz at 145F for 2 minutes and went bit hotter and shorter from there. slight astringency and more umami on steeps 3 and up. sweet and nutty the first couple.

User avatar
May 14th, '10, 00:43
Posts: 28
Joined: Apr 21st, '10, 00:59
Location: Red River Valley of the North

Re: Maiko "Official" Japanese tea topic

by tmorten » May 14th, '10, 00:43

Thanks for the review Iannon! I will have to add this to my list of gyos to try. I gotta drink up all my shincha first though! :P

User avatar
Jul 25th, '10, 00:47
Posts: 1574
Joined: Dec 30th, '08, 21:16
Location: The foot of the great Smoky Mountains

Re: Maiko "Official" Japanese tea topic

by iannon » Jul 25th, '10, 00:47

curious..anyone tried any of the Maiko Matcha's? I have enjoyed the shincha and Gyo that i got from them at least

User avatar
Aug 18th, '10, 00:33
Posts: 20891
Joined: Apr 22nd, '06, 20:52
Scrolling: scrolling
Location: Back in the TeaCave atop Mt. Fuji
Been thanked: 2 times

Re: Maiko "Official" Japanese tea topic

by Chip » Aug 18th, '10, 00:33

From the 2010 Shincha season I tried Kinari and Shincha Sencha. Kinari was as usual very exceptional asamushi for the price. Very nicely balanced veggie, umami, sweet, bitter and astringent working together harmoniously.

The Shincha Sencha was better than any asamushi at this very low price point.

I rate them on a scale of 15 with 5 being the highest:

Kinari 5
Shincha Sencha 4 ... value adjusted 4.5

I also tried the curious Shiawase, "Happy Tea," which is a blend of kelp, kukicha, genmai and matcha. Quite different, tasty and variable from steep to steep.

Shiawase 4.75

User avatar
Aug 24th, '10, 16:21
Posts: 1574
Joined: Dec 30th, '08, 21:16
Location: The foot of the great Smoky Mountains

Re: Maiko "Official" Japanese tea topic

by iannon » Aug 24th, '10, 16:21

ok..well..I was about to run out of my stock of Shincha and it was time to order some sencha! I sat on the fence between Maiko and Ippodo for the longest time before going ahead with some more from Maiko.
so coming to me soon:
100g Green Tea - Sencha Maruyama 1 2,025 yen
100g Green Tea - Sencha Kyo no tsuyu 1 1,350 yen
100g Green Tea - Sencha Kamo 1 1,080 yen

i've not tried any of these so I will post my thoughts when they arrive and I get to try some!

Sep 13th, '10, 16:54
Posts: 33
Joined: Sep 5th, '10, 00:25
Location: Oceanside

Re: Maiko "Official" Japanese tea topic

by qaymar23 » Sep 13th, '10, 16:54

tmorten wrote:I have also been curious about trying Maiko's Yamashita gyokuros. He is an expert in gyokuro production and has won various awards. Also, his gyokuros are all hand picked and processed by hand. Some of his gyos are extremely expensive though :shock:

I have been looking at trying either the Jirushi or the Shuppin Yamashita gyokuro. These two are on the lower end of his gyo selection, but they are also moderately priced and within my budget. :D

Has anyone ever tried any of the Yamashita gyokuros from Maiko? Iannon, you'll have to let us know what you think of the gyo when you get it.
Maiko's has a sample pack of all of Yamashitas gyokuros, it is called 5 High quality gyokuro set, item #190:
Each sample is 8 grams
Yashiki no Cha
Takumi
Nomigoro
Shuppin-Gyokuro
Yamashita-Jirushi
for about $50 plus shipping.

Jing tea has Yamashitas gyokuros 25 grams for about $40 which is wonderful, full of Umami and accorording to Jing & Maiko per their response to my emails to them that the tea Jing's Yamashita gyokuro is very close to the Yashiki no Cha and having tasted both I agree it is very similiar.

User avatar
Oct 9th, '10, 16:28
Posts: 2000
Joined: Mar 3rd, '09, 17:18

Re: Maiko "Official" Japanese tea topic

by entropyembrace » Oct 9th, '10, 16:28

What are Maiko´s senchas like? I´m wanting to order some sencha and matcha and I´m really curious of Maiko´s matchas but the sencha I´m not so sure about...I don´t see pictures of the leaves or a lot of information in the descriptions... :?

I´m kind of pitting O-Cha, Zencha and Maiko against each other to decide which to order from this time...but I have a pretty good idea what to expect from the other two...Maiko is more of an unknown. I´ve only had their sincha sencha from the OTTI, I liked it but I thought it was a bit simple compared to the other OTTI sinchas...but it was also the least expensive.

User avatar
Oct 9th, '10, 16:45
Posts: 20891
Joined: Apr 22nd, '06, 20:52
Scrolling: scrolling
Location: Back in the TeaCave atop Mt. Fuji
Been thanked: 2 times

Re: Maiko "Official" Japanese tea topic

by Chip » Oct 9th, '10, 16:45

The Maiko sencha are all asamushi from Uji/Kyoto. I have not had the 3 lower ones, but the 3 top levels are quite good.

User avatar
Oct 9th, '10, 18:43
Posts: 2000
Joined: Mar 3rd, '09, 17:18

Re: Maiko "Official" Japanese tea topic

by entropyembrace » Oct 9th, '10, 18:43

Chip wrote:The Maiko sencha are all asamushi from Uji/Kyoto. I have not had the 3 lower ones, but the 3 top levels are quite good.
ty Chip, I think I´ll go with O-cha this time...I still have a fair bit of matcha and I think I would only order one of the higher end senchas from Maiko considering all are Uji asamushi...when I really want this order to be primarily sencha.

Will save Maiko for when I run really low on matcha or if I decide to go for gyokuro.

User avatar
Dec 28th, '10, 20:15
Posts: 35
Joined: Nov 10th, '10, 22:16
Location: Rhode Island, USA

Re: Maiko "Official" Japanese tea topic

by bryan293 » Dec 28th, '10, 20:15

I just got some yamashita jirushi gyokuro today. Iannon, what leaf to water ratio did you use to brew it? I'm wondering if 1g:1oz is enough for this gyo.

+ Post Reply