June Tasting

[Chip]

My small zip bag provider has been incognito, sorry about that.

The outer bag is just a random Japanese bag.

[scruffmcgruff]

Got my package too, I'm excited to open it up tomorrow!

[scruffmcgruff]

Where is the 88 nights sencha from, again? I can't seem to find the vendor name in this thread (not sure what "SA" refers to).

[Chip]

It is from Sugimoto USA, based in Seatle. Their teas are blends of the "highest grade green tea available in all of Japan."

[scruffmcgruff]

Ah, thanks Chip! First impressions are good, I'll post my notes when I finish.

[Chip]

Great, I am hoping Pentox will open a tasting topic as is the custom. If not, I will do it for him.

Enjoy.

[Salsero]

It is from Sugimoto USA, based in Seatle.

I am really enjoying their generic, non-shincha "sencha" that I am still not quite finished with after nearly 2 months open. Each time I have it, it seems to get better. And of course, they are also the vendors of the awesome Temomi Shincha.

[fencerdenoctum]

Package received and in good order.

However, I only received 22 nights of the 88 nights shincha. Did anyone else have this problem? *dies laughing*

should stick to tea drinking,
Dustin

[scruffmcgruff]

Hachiju hachiya shincha has been blawged! I wrote about Takumi a few posts back. Thanks again to Chip and Pentox for the tea.

[MarshalN]

Hey, if you have so much time blawgging about shincha, how about them teaware series? :p

[scruffmcgruff]

Hey, if you have so much time blawgging about shincha, how about them teaware series? :p

For whatever reason I'm having a hard time writing this last one! Not that there's anything in it that you don't already know better than me. I'll finish it eventually, heh.

[Salsero]

Tried the 88 Nights today. There are a few long needles in the leaves, but mostly broken pieces.


I used nearly twice as much leaf as Scruff, but otherwise brewed about the same.

The first infusion really got my attention. Its appearance was light and transparent, looking asamushi like. The taste seemed to me unique: fruity, thick, sharp, seaweedy. The first infusion had lots of umami but in a different presentation from that of the Takumi. The Takumi has less acidity with it's brothy character and it coats the mouth less. I liked the first and second infusions of 88 Nights the most. The second had a nice lime taste. Here is a photo of the second:

The third had the murkiest fukamushi look to it. Each infusion became cleaner and less brothy as I marched through them.

Great stuff and a most generous sample. Thanks, Chip and Pentox!

[joelbct]

ah i have been drinking these at work so don't have the most detailed notes. they def have that 'fullness' of shincha. i preferred the Takumi. thanks again!

[TIM]

Thanks again Chip and Pentox. I like the 88, but the Zencha Takumi is much more refine. Yummm, those thick soup!

[olivierco]

I got the teas yesterdays. Thanks a lot.
I will try them this week-end.