2017 Shincha!

Made from leaves that have not been oxidized.


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May 15th, '17, 14:50
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2017 Shincha!

by Chip » May 15th, '17, 14:50

Let's talk Shincha. What have you ordered, received, tried ...

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May 15th, '17, 15:02
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Re: 2017 Shincha!

by Chip » May 15th, '17, 15:02

So far I have ordered:

Kinari from Maiko

Yutaka Midori and Sae Midori from O-Cha

I plan to order several more O-Cha selections and considering a few other options. I used to order 20 or more shincha selections every year, but I have been less exploratory the past several years ... sticking with mostly perennial faves.

I received and opened the Kinari first. At first I was a bit disappointed with it, but after being open a few days and working out the parameters I seemed to have found its sweet spot. I am brewing 1.5 grams per ounce (30ml) water. I am brewing this a bit cooler than most other sencha, I am guessing around 150*. First steep about 70 seconds. Nice vegetal aroma and profile. Not the best Kinari I have had, but a very good value.

I next opened the YM. I am pleased to say that I was impressed immediately. The dry leaf aroma is heavenly and it has brewed up perfectly each time. 1.5 grams per ounce (30ml) water. Around 160* for about a minute.
Some care in pouring is recommended due to the finer fukamushi particles. I tilt my kyusu a bit towards the handle so the initial movement of particles does not clog the screen. This is really more important with subsequent steeps.
Deep YM fukamushi flavor.

I have not opened Sae Midori yet.

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May 15th, '17, 21:51
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Re: 2017 Shincha!

by Ferg » May 15th, '17, 21:51

Nice idea Chip! :mrgreen:

I tend to overdue things so I have ordered and received half a kilo of Maiko's Shincha Kinari (at the price/bag, I couldn't help myself), along with one of Yamashita's Gyokuro "5 High quality Gyokuro set". I have yet to try any of them as I'm first finishing a 2016 Maiko Shincha Kinari and O-Cha Yutaka Midori shincha kindly gifted by Victoria.

I will be sure to compare the two SK's against each other. I only have one caddy for the time-being, but will break open the '17 tonight and allow it to begin airing out based on this update.

I was thinking this would also be a great opportunity to also compare the YM, so I went on to check O-Cha's latest offerings and see that the AOI finally went up! :D So I am placing another order now of the following:

Tsuen Teas - 1) Aoi Uji Asamushi Sencha & 2) Yume no Ukihashi Uji Gyokuro (not shincha, but been wanting to try and will serve as a good comparison against the Maiko sampler)

O-Cha selections - 3) Yutaka Midori Sencha, 4) Sae Midori Sencha, and 5) Sae Midori Organic Asamushi (excited about this one in particular!)

Looks like I'll be all set for the coming months! Scale en route, so I'll try to post back by week's end. Interested to hear what others have picked up.

May 16th, '17, 22:08
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Re: 2017 Shincha!

by davidglass » May 16th, '17, 22:08

Chip wrote: So far I have ordered:

Kinari from Maiko

Yutaka Midori and Sae Midori from O-Cha

I plan to order several more O-Cha selections and considering a few other options. I used to order 20 or more shincha selections every year, but I have been less exploratory the past several years ... sticking with mostly perennial faves.

I received and opened the Kinari first. At first I was a bit disappointed with it, but after being open a few days and working out the parameters I seemed to have found its sweet spot. I am brewing 1.5 grams per ounce (30ml) water. I am brewing this a bit cooler than most other sencha, I am guessing around 150*. First steep about 70 seconds. Nice vegetal aroma and profile. Not the best Kinari I have had, but a very good value.

I next opened the YM. I am pleased to say that I was impressed immediately. The dry leaf aroma is heavenly and it has brewed up perfectly each time. 1.5 grams per ounce (30ml) water. Around 160* for about a minute.
Some care in pouring is recommended due to the finer fukamushi particles. I tilt my kyusu a bit towards the handle so the initial movement of particles does not clog the screen. This is really more important with subsequent steeps.
Deep YM fukamushi flavor.

I have not opened Sae Midori yet.
I've gone through my 1st bag of Shincha Kinari and have not tasted the flavors that were present last year. I've tried brewing the tea with 1.5-2g/1 oz/60-90 sec,/ 145F.
Any other suggestions for 2017 shinchas?

May 17th, '17, 09:29
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Re: 2017 Shincha!

by davidglass » May 17th, '17, 09:29

davidglass wrote:
Chip wrote: So far I have ordered:

Kinari from Maiko

Yutaka Midori and Sae Midori from O-Cha

I plan to order several more O-Cha selections and considering a few other options. I used to order 20 or more shincha selections every year, but I have been less exploratory the past several years ... sticking with mostly perennial faves.

I received and opened the Kinari first. At first I was a bit disappointed with it, but after being open a few days and working out the parameters I seemed to have found its sweet spot. I am brewing 1.5 grams per ounce (30ml) water. I am brewing this a bit cooler than most other sencha, I am guessing around 150*. First steep about 70 seconds. Nice vegetal aroma and profile. Not the best Kinari I have had, but a very good value.

I next opened the YM. I am pleased to say that I was impressed immediately. The dry leaf aroma is heavenly and it has brewed up perfectly each time. 1.5 grams per ounce (30ml) water. Around 160* for about a minute.
Some care in pouring is recommended due to the finer fukamushi particles. I tilt my kyusu a bit towards the handle so the initial movement of particles does not clog the screen. This is really more important with subsequent steeps.
Deep YM fukamushi flavor.

I have not opened Sae Midori yet.
I've gone through my 1st bag of Shincha Kinari and have not tasted the flavors that were present last year. I've tried brewing the tea with 1.5-2g/1 oz/60-90 sec,/ 145F.
Any other suggestions for 2017 shinchas?
I just tried 1.5g/1 oz/90 sec/ 145F, and that might just be as good as it gets.

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May 17th, '17, 20:38
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Re: 2017 Shincha!

by Ferg » May 17th, '17, 20:38

Chip wrote: I plan to order several more O-Cha selections and considering a few other options. I used to order 20 or more shincha selections every year, but I have been less exploratory the past several years ... sticking with mostly perennial faves.
What other vendors are you considering Chip? I inquired of Kevin, who confirmed that a kamairicha will be made available beginning of June timeframe. I know you're more of a steamed tea fan, but I've been wanting to try one of these again after Alex's sample provided some time back. I know this tea type is in Thes du Japon's wheelhouse, but they too only have one shincha version available at the moment.

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May 19th, '17, 00:51
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Re: 2017 Shincha!

by Chip » May 19th, '17, 00:51

davidglass wrote:
davidglass wrote:
Chip wrote: So far I have ordered:

Kinari from Maiko

Yutaka Midori and Sae Midori from O-Cha

I plan to order several more O-Cha selections and considering a few other options. I used to order 20 or more shincha selections every year, but I have been less exploratory the past several years ... sticking with mostly perennial faves.

I received and opened the Kinari first. At first I was a bit disappointed with it, but after being open a few days and working out the parameters I seemed to have found its sweet spot. I am brewing 1.5 grams per ounce (30ml) water. I am brewing this a bit cooler than most other sencha, I am guessing around 150*. First steep about 70 seconds. Nice vegetal aroma and profile. Not the best Kinari I have had, but a very good value.

I next opened the YM. I am pleased to say that I was impressed immediately. The dry leaf aroma is heavenly and it has brewed up perfectly each time. 1.5 grams per ounce (30ml) water. Around 160* for about a minute.
Some care in pouring is recommended due to the finer fukamushi particles. I tilt my kyusu a bit towards the handle so the initial movement of particles does not clog the screen. This is really more important with subsequent steeps.
Deep YM fukamushi flavor.

I have not opened Sae Midori yet.
I've gone through my 1st bag of Shincha Kinari and have not tasted the flavors that were present last year. I've tried brewing the tea with 1.5-2g/1 oz/60-90 sec,/ 145F.
Any other suggestions for 2017 shinchas?
I just tried 1.5g/1 oz/90 sec/ 145F, and that might just be as good as it gets.
I agree, this year's Kinari seems to lack both depth ... and the instant appeal of years past. It is good and is a good value.
I just opened bag 2 ... I will see how I make out.

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May 19th, '17, 00:56
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Re: 2017 Shincha!

by Chip » May 19th, '17, 00:56

Ferg wrote:
Chip wrote: I plan to order several more O-Cha selections and considering a few other options. I used to order 20 or more shincha selections every year, but I have been less exploratory the past several years ... sticking with mostly perennial faves.
What other vendors are you considering Chip? I inquired of Kevin, who confirmed that a kamairicha will be made available beginning of June timeframe. I know you're more of a steamed tea fan, but I've been wanting to try one of these again after Alex's sample provided some time back. I know this tea type is in Thes du Japon's wheelhouse, but they too only have one shincha version available at the moment.
Yeah, not a fan of kamairicha. I do enjoy its steamed cousin guricha.

I have no definite plans yet, mainly because my time in front of a PC has been limited. Might have time today, Friday.

May 22nd, '17, 04:49
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Re: 2017 Shincha!

by Pig Hog » May 22nd, '17, 04:49

I wasn't going to bother with shincha this year in an attempt to cut down my spending. However, I changed my mind and purchased a very nice looking tezumi saemidori and a packet of the old favourite, asatsuyu. Both from Yuuki-Cha.

Just something to keep me going as I'm currently out of sencha.

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May 22nd, '17, 06:27
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Re: 2017 Shincha!

by Jack_teachat » May 22nd, '17, 06:27

Greetings all, first post in a long time!

This morning I ordered the Oku Yutaka Organic Seneca from O-Cha along with some matcha. This is my first Japanese tea order for about a year so am super excited about it arriving! I will report back in due course :)

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May 27th, '17, 17:57
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Re: 2017 Shincha!

by Dr. Eel » May 27th, '17, 17:57

Friends, Teachatters, Thirstymen-- I come bearing words and with praise:

Chiran Sencha, O-Cha, first flush (Shincha) 2017
7g leaf per 8 oz water

First Cup. 60*C (140*F). 70 sec. Liquor ‘neath light is viscous. Color near surface a transparent green; at depths where particulate matter has congregated: deep, envious, and forested. Nose is rain-soaked wet. Vegetal. Greyish fogfilled day young spring springs’a mind. Scent— e’erlasting strands of memory like particles of air slipping through fingers, toying the brain, cortices, recollecting faculties. First sip is sweet. Gentle as soft waves ‘gainst a cool coastal rocky outcrop lapping, whispering. Full flavor blossoms slowly in mouth roundly. Very subtle softly pleasing. Drying in the mouth just, barely, rich touch underneath lurking to emerge fleshly, fully in cups to come bearing higher temps. Subtle sixty celsius for first cup yields effluvient jewel of dewy tea: somewhat sweet sof'ly drying gentle, vegetal, thickish at bottom beneath. A delight. Second Cup. 67*C. 20 sec. Liquor this time as expected omnino opaque. Vibrant green and dense filled floating all th’way through with fine fragments and luscious leafy particulate matter. Nose a notch more robust. Not simple, soft, and sweet but rich, deep, and almost roasted. A person might could lose oneself in this thickly forested soup. Nigh noxious if not so delicious. Now for taste. First sip is powerful vegetal slippery thick and thin simultaneous. Bitter rinds of an aftertaste complement in satisfying fashion. This tea is strong at second cup but short of too much. Shy of overwhelming. Instead, in fact, is pleasing. Hints of first cup’s gentility remain. Thinnish mouthfeel does this robust flavor tame. Nice crisp drying coats cleanly mouth’s tongue following swallowing. Secundus overall: almost overpowering, but as the talking pattering of subtle rainfall, wil’e-nilly, now babbling then ceased and silent upon its whim floats inconstantly, fluctuant with protean, ephemeral nature, this flavor approaches at once flurried, hurried, thickly, but evaporates as is said do the winds of March at that month’s end into’a vibrant lingual resonance: bitter, dry, and fleeting. Successive cups prove pale diminutions of these the first two.

First pic (leaf in Kyūsu) shows post-first-pour. Second pic (Yunomi) is the thickly rich liquor of second cup's infusion.
Attachments
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Jun 2nd, '17, 13:25
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Re: 2017 Shincha!

by davidglass » Jun 2nd, '17, 13:25

Good news:

Dear David

An Oku-midori from Miyakonojo should available within the end of the next week.
Kind regards.

Florent WEUGUE / ヴェーグ フローラン
Japanese Tea Instructor / 日本茶インストラクター
Director of Product development & research / 商品企画開発責任者
Japonika Co., Ltd. / ジャポニカ株式会社
www.thes-du-japon.com

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Jun 4th, '17, 22:27
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Re: 2017 Shincha!

by Ferg » Jun 4th, '17, 22:27

davidglass wrote: Good news:

Dear David

An Oku-midori from Miyakonojo should available within the end of the next week.
Kind regards.
Looks like Kevin will have one available as well within days. Just another option to consider. I've been holding off for his Kamairicha to become available, to order along with the Guricha. May add this one to the order as well! :)

Jun 6th, '17, 10:49
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Re: 2017 Shincha!

by davidglass » Jun 6th, '17, 10:49

Ferg wrote:
davidglass wrote: Good news:

Dear David

An Oku-midori from Miyakonojo should available within the end of the next week.
Kind regards.
Looks like Kevin will have one available as well within days. Just another option to consider. I've been holding off for his Kamairicha to become available, to order along with the Guricha. May add this one to the order as well! :)
What company is that?

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Jun 6th, '17, 12:46
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Re: 2017 Shincha!

by victoria3 » Jun 6th, '17, 12:46

davidglass wrote:
Ferg wrote:
davidglass wrote: Good news:

Dear David

An Oku-midori from Miyakonojo should available within the end of the next week.
Kind regards.
Looks like Kevin will have one available as well within days. Just another option to consider. I've been holding off for his Kamairicha to become available, to order along with the Guricha. May add this one to the order as well! :)
What company is that?
O-Cha, Kevin is the owner.

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