2010 Official Shincha Review Topic!

[Oni]

From which vendor can I buy Temomi cha (handrolled japanese tea).

[alan logan]

hi Oni,
to date I think we have:

- gokuchanin (aka mr hiruma) : linguistic adventure but as iannon humourosly said it is part of the fun
- kaburagien : no encrypted payment, you send your card data by fax in 2 faxes.
- maiko (yamashita's gyokuro) : but I think you already know this one (?unless it is someone else)
+ I saw here (http://sugimotousa.blogspot.com/) that they seem to have temomicha but I did not see it on their site so I guess you would have to ask.
- It may also be a good idea to ask horaido

should it appear too difficult or too expensive to get your hands on some, you can still have...anji bai cha (not anji bai pian, anji bai cha made from bai ye yi hao) to make up for it !

[edkrueger]

Sugimoto is sold out of online orders to the best of my knowledge. I got some, it was good. I have another package saved for a special occasion.

[tjsan]

Hello everyone.. it's nice to be here
This is my first review so please be a little understanding
Few days ago I received a package from yuuki-cha with is a great vendor.
I ordered 100 grams of Shincha Kanayamidori because the yuuki-cha's description was very enticing. After opening the package I felt a delicate sweet scent, with was not too bold.
The leaves have a distinctive shape for light steamed asamushi. I brewed this shincha in accordance with the suggestions of yuuki –cha: first steep 65 ‘ C for 60 – 80 sec. The first time I received a nice light green brewing with a sweet taste and smell, with a distinguishable aroma of fruit, very delicate and smooth.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ chajin/ , (sorry but I can not paste here any photos?)
Only the high ratio leaves/ water [1g per 30ml] makes it organic shincha is inefficient and uneconomic in my opinion. On the other hand, the leaves can be brewed up to 5 times; second infusion 70’ C for 30 sec, third infusion: 75’ C for 30 sec, fourth 80’C / 30 sec, fifth: 85’ C/ 30 sec +.
The first three infusions are very clear and sweet, only fourth and fifth becomes less clear and begin to lose flavor. Yuuki-chas Kanaymidori had a good impression on me over time
its subtle flavor began to affect me more and more.
Actually, its sweet taste suits me very well. Certainly this is one of the best tea I've ever drank, as a novice tea drinker slowly become absorbed in the mysteries of the Japanese school of tea as far as my budget will allow me my.
Delicious cup of tea for everyone !

Kanayamidori cup

PICT1373 (Small).JPG (57.18 KiB) Viewed 1502 times

[debunix]

A shincha tasting July 2010

Four teas from Yuuki-Cha.com:
Tenryu Misakubo
Honoyama
Okuyutaka
Sayamakaori




This was less straightforward than most of my recent tastings, because the four teas are so similar in character. And the delay in drinking the infusions due to finding and setting up the camera obscured some of the finer points of the varied flavors of the teas. I am less fond of umami and more fond of a sugary sweetness, so tend to prefer my japanese teas on the lighter side. Also, must note in fairness that these teas were not opened at the same time: the Tenryu Misakubo was open for several weeks, the Sayamakaori only a week.

Setup: 2 grams of tea in 75 mL gaiwan, water 160 degrees, 1st infusion 30 seconds; 2nd infusion 165 degrees 15 seconds*; 3rd infusion 170 degrees 1 minute, 4th infusions 170 degrees 90 seconds.

Tenryu Misakubo
Dry Leaves: green, needle-like, smaller fragments than the others, sweet and mild vegetal scent
Liquor has stronger first hit of umami in the 2nd infusion, brinier than the others especially in the first couple of infusions, but mellower and more similar as the infusions progress as the sweetness comes a bit more to the fore
Wet Leaves: smaller pieces of bright green leaves, green vegetal aroma, like cooked peas or asparagus

Honoyama
Dry Leaves: green, needle-like, fragment, slightly deeper vegetal scent
Liquor is sweeter and lighter from the start, lightly vegetal--sweet spring peas, freshly cut grass in spring
Wet Leaves: pieces of bright green leaves, similar vegetal aroma

Okuyutaka
Dry Leaves: green, needle-like, leaf fragments, sweet deep vegetal scent
Probably in between the Honoyama and the Tenryu Misakubo, sweet with moderate umami, delicious
Wet Leaves: pieces of bright green leaves, similar vegetal aroma

Sayamakaori
Dry Leaves: green, needle-like, longer and more intact fragments than the others, deep sweet scent full of umami
Also sweet start to the liquor, mild umami, bright and lovely
Wet Leaves: larger pieces of bright green leaves, similar vegetal aroma

Final impression? I like the Honoyama best, I think, but how to order the middle two is very hard: Sayamakaori then Okuyutaka or Okuyutaka then Sayamakaori, either works for me, and the Tenryu Misakubo is my least favorite, but still a lovely lovely tea. If you prefer more umami--deeper, brinier flavors, and like gyokuro over sencha, you probably should reverse the order of my preferences, and grab the Tenryu Misakubo first, leaving more Honoyama for me! All of these are very good teas: none have anything bitter or harsh or otherwise off to make them less than highly recommended.

Dry leaves

upper left is Tenryu Misakubo; upper right is Honoyama; lower left Okuyutaka; lower right is Sayamakaori



Infused liquor & wet leaves:

Left to Right Tenryu Misakubo; Honoyama; Okuyutaka; Sayamakaori

[Chip]

Thank you, Debunix for the excellent review! I am happy for your positive shincha experience. And sorry for the late thank you, tjsan!

Sadly my experiences have not been so stellar. I ordered all these shincha from Yuuki-Cha, but after 28 days and numerous attempts to contact the vendor without a single response, the funds were returned w/o explanation.

While the vendor may generally offer good service, there can be no excuse for withholding any customers' $$$ and all the while purposely not replying to numerous emails and seemingly never intending to ship the product. I can only hope that nobody else is singled out for such disservice that is borderline criminal.

This may be old news to some of you, but after more than a year of gross misconduct by an online vendor and remaining quiet, I feel I am obligated to report it here since it did deal directly with shincha orders ... and this did affect numerous members.

So, moneys held, nonresponsive to emails, and product denied by Yuuki-Cha, certainly not a Kumbaya moment for an "organic" vendor. 2 thumbs down from this huge, perennial shincha fan.

[Tead Off]

We would all like to hear the vendor's side of the story, Chip.

Hey, Dan! Spill the beans(leaves), please

Could it be your Ocha connection?

[Chip]

TO, you would like to hear the vendor's side of the story? So would I! But I expect a direct communication explaining his behavior directly to me FIRST. Plus I would like to believe I have a reputation here. I deserve a direct explanation as I would expect anyone would deserve direct explanation of such conduct.

Vendors are permitted to post rebuttals, but must first comply with the forum's rules which are posted under numerous locations including Introduction and specifically dealing with TeaVendor Guide, there are specific guidelines there as well. Failure to do so will result in deletion of rebuttal.

As I stated, I remained silent here about this for over a year, while I was emailing the vendor numerous times.

So by all means, email me Dan. I would anxiously await hearing from you.

O-Cha connection? I moderate the O-Cha forum, period. There is no other connection. Period. I have stated as much, and even the owner has stated as much on this very forum.

Connection otherwise, I am a customer as I am of many vendors ... including Yuuki-Cha!!!!! I have referred to the O-C as my fave vendor, because they offer some of my fave teas including Yutaka Midori which has been a perennial fave of mine. Where I shop and what I buy is irrelevent to how another vendor treats me, a customer nor how they conduct business.

Until I hear from Yuuki-Cha, or unless I am asked, I will likely say no more. Too many positives to focus upon ...

[Kevangogh]

Could it be your Ocha connection?

Are you referring to my company here? If so, please start a thread in the O-Cha.com section of the board, and when you do please bring some facts with you instead of throwing around off-topic innuendo. I will not let my company get dragged into someone else's mess. My guess is that you won't do that.

Mod edit: Kevangogh has submitted a rebuttal request per forum rules via PM which was granted.

[iannon]

Could it be your Ocha connection?

Are you referring to my company here? If so, please start a thread in the O-Cha.com section of the board, and when you do please bring some facts with you instead of throwing around off-topic innuendo. I will not let my company get dragged into someone else's mess. My guess is that you won't do that.

Whoa! ease up here!
Everyone who has read the story/post by Chip, which he mentioned above is curious to hear from said vendor. I dont like speaking for others but thats all it sounds like TO was talking about. Everyone who has been here a while knows Chip, Amongst many ,many others I might add, Love the O-cha line up of teas. People dont usually make a secret of their fav's!
So lets all step back and take it for what it is..our inhernint curiousity in why a vendor would treat our illustrious moderator in such fashion let alone any paying customer.
Now lets talk Tea!

[britt]

Sadly my experiences have not been so stellar. I ordered all these shincha from Yuuki-Cha, but after 28 days and numerous attempts to contact the vendor without a single response, the funds were returned w/o explanation.

While the vendor may generally offer good service, there can be no excuse for withholding any customers' $$$ and all the while purposely not replying to numerous emails and seemingly never intending to ship the product. I can only hope that nobody else is singled out for such disservice that is borderline criminal.

This may be old news to some of you, but after more than a year of gross misconduct by an online vendor and remaining quiet, I feel I am obligated to report it here since it did deal directly with shincha orders ... and this did affect numerous members.

So, moneys held, nonresponsive to emails, and product denied by Yuuki-Cha, certainly not a Kumbaya moment for an "organic" vendor. 2 thumbs down from this huge, perennial shincha fan.

I am very surprised to hear this, and also very concerned. I have had incredibly quick service on every order and have found Yuuki-cha to be very responsive to e-mails and questions in general. I believe what you're saying, as your integrity speaks for itself, but the question is why? I also thought it could be your affiliation with another tea vendor, except you state it "did affect numerous members."

If true as I am interpreting your words, intentionally holding back like this would be criminal, especially in shincha season, which would be over before you received your refund and no tea.

I would also like to hear Yuuki-cha's explanation.

[Chip]

but the question is why? I also thought it could be your affiliation with another tea vendor, except you state it "did affect numerous members."

If true as I am interpreting your words, intentionally holding back like this would be criminal, especially in shincha season, which would be over before you received your refund and no tea.

I would also like to hear Yuuki-cha's explanation.

I guess I am not quite done answering replies after all ... although I am certain just about everyone is thinking can we get back to shincha. My apologies everyone!

... well, I am also the Moderator of Adagio's TeaChat, have dear friends within the company, have had tea with Den, have close ties with numerous other vendors, post every day about teas I am drinking that are not from O-Cha, nor have I mentioned this on the O-Cha forum ... etc. It is interesting this is not mentioned in regards to affiliations.

I cannot fault anyone for curiousity or wanting to hear a justification, likewise, so would I. But I am entitled to a direct explanation since I have asked for one from the vendor too many times.

When can any "why" justify holding someone's international funds for almost a month and then not shipping the product while they ship to everyone else? And zero response to emails during this same period, zero explanations?

We are basing much of our decision making process with an assumption the vendor will act honorably and ship our product. We often ship via SAL, which could easliy be abused by a dishonorable vendor. I would say Yuuki-Cha acted dishonorably and negligent in every facet of these transactions.

I have no doubt that the 28 days would have been much much much longer had I not been emailing asking where is my tea. If he did not want my money, he should been big enough to say so (and why) and refund the money PROMPTLY. But "why" is no longer relevant.

I am clearly entitled to an explanation first. Am I sore about this, you betCha. Who would not be???

The long winded epic version if you need a good read to put you to sleep.

http://www.teachat.com/viewtopic.php?f= ... 7&start=30

[Tead Off]

Could it be your Ocha connection?

Are you referring to my company here? If so, please start a thread in the O-Cha.com section of the board, and when you do please bring some facts with you instead of throwing around off-topic innuendo. I will not let my company get dragged into someone else's mess. My guess is that you won't do that.

Mod edit: Kevangogh has submitted a rebuttal request per forum rules via PM which was granted.

Do I really need to do that when all I was referring to was Chip being the moderator of your forum? Did I mention anything negative about that? I mentioned it because all I can think of was the possibility that there may have been something there on Yuuki's side. So, we would like to hear what Yuuki has to say. No one is 'dragging' you into anything. You just walked into it yourself.

[Kevangogh]

Well, T.O., your explanation is a bit more clear now, perhaps I'm overly sensitive on this subject. The reason for that being, both Chip and myself have been directly accused in the past by one member (who is no longer here I guess) of having some sort of "back room deal" going on, which is ludicrous. He moderates my forum from spammers, that's about it. Before I asked Chip, I had asked another person who is here but he decline so I then asked Chip and he agreed. Also, from what I understand the initial inquiry was to compare our organic gyokuro against the other vendor's. So when you referred to Chip's "connection" with us, it was not clear what you were referring to. The only connection is that he is indeed an enthusiastic customer and moderates my forum from spammers. He's into green tea, I imagine he knows the other vendors too.

I personally think anything not related to a "shincha" review should be moved to another section of the board, sorry for the distraction.

[Oni]

I, Oni, might seem to be a shill for horaido, I mentioned this teashop a dozen times, because of the great services I have recieved from them, but unfortunately I have never mentioned this for the owner in hope of getting a "backroom deal". A good vendor with good products doesn`t need to offer any shady deals to customers for the advertizing, I believe if Chip is satisfied with the products of O`cha, he has to right to praise the vendor, "good wine needs no bush", this teashop has been among or the first to sell japanese tea from the internet.