ITD May Shincha Tasting

[Thirsty Daruma]

Just had the Fuka. Took up the included instructions - 4.5oz of tea, 6 oz of water, 170 F and 75 seconds. This is the first time I've had a Fuka and a properly brewed Japanese green. I even busted out the Kyusuu I received for Christmas, now primed for it's first use.

Delicate and delicious. Certainly a far cry from my usually bold teas - Lapsang, for example.

Delicious, and now sipping my second steep. Much cloudier, much darker and much murkier, even with an agonizingly slow pour. A bit more bitter, and like Space, I suspect a hair over-steeped. Still, good.

[Proinsias]

Everyone's gone to bed, I'm off tomorrow. Time to break out the suspicious looking packages from Chip. I can feel my kyusu smiling from the other side of the house.

[Salsero]

I tried the Fukamushi Supreme a couple weeks ago and enjoyed it a lot. A summary of my notes:

• Surprisingly fruity, a little astringent, lively and somewhere between grassy
  and vegetative, a nice balancing act. Lovely color, lots of bits, which I love!
  Not marine. Good weight in the mouth, viscosity.

I had four sessions with this charmer and I found I could get a solid 5 infusions, and went for a sixth in three of the four sessions. Generally, it seems like I am always brewing sencha cooler than everyone else. I don't know why, but I feel like I get fishier, more vegetative, more seaweedy flavor and a thicker feel in the mouth.

I'm enjoying the Miyabi now and also enjoying it's quite steamed nature. For some reason, I wound up ordering more asamushi than fukamushi for shincha. I am enjoying both enormously, but in the last analysis my heart belongs to fuka.

While I am only halfway through a first session with Miyabi, I am finding it to be more on the grassy and marine side than the Fukamushi Supreme, probably a little lighter and cleaner, but far from an asamushi. I also find more buttery and cashew notes in the Miyabi. It's also got a nice full brothy taste in the mouth, but not quite as full in viscosity. Both wonderful teas.

Thanks so much, Chip, for making these wonderful delights available to us.

[Wesli]

Holy cow, Miyabi smells like CANDY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The dry leaf, I mean. I opened the bag and with a whoosh and a sniff, my notrilias were filled with a piercingly sweet CANDY smell!

Very interesting...... Smelling the wet leaf, I get a moderate earthy aroma and a nuisance of a tamaryokucha odor. The taste is yummy. I get some wonderful grassiness, subdued vegetable, and lingering earthiness. Some tartness that I associate with guricha is also present.

Very nice tea. Thank you very much.

Had I got this tea without knowing what it was, this session would have led me in the direction of guessing it was a tamaryokucha.

[brandon]

Tea arrived in perfect condition, thanks Chip!
I am sipping some Fuka Supreme hoping to clear out the massive congestion I have contracted in the midwest.

[Chip]

Thanx everyone for your input so far, and you are welcome! Did everyone get what's coming to you?

Sorry for not being more involved in the discussion. First I want to give everyone an opportunity to taste and evaluate the shincha before I give my 2 yen worth. I have much to say on both. I happen to be getting ready for WTE in Vegas, suckas!!!

So, I will likely have to wait til I return to offer my impressions.

[hop_goblin]

Ok, I don't have much experience with Japanese teas. I decided to try the Fukamushi first as I remembered Wes saying something positive about it sometime ago. I had sincha only one other time I believe so this was fun.

The first thing I noticed was the beautiful color. It literally looked like antifreeze. The aroma was nice and subtle. When I took the first sip, it caught me by suprise coz I was thinking oolong for some reason. Well, it had this 'meaty' quality to it. It was nice and thick.. Nice.


Thanks!!!! I can't wait to try the other!

[Salsero]

It literally looked like antifreeze. ... Well, it had this 'meaty' quality to it. It was nice and thick

Antifreeze, that is so correct! I guess you've proven your own theory about newbies having a fresh point of view! A wonderful review, Hop. Thanks so much.


Meaty or brothy quality is, I think, umami. I think the current theory is that we have sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami taste buds.

• "Umami is the response to salts of glutamic
  acid — like monosodium glutamate (MSG) a
  flavor enhancer used in many processed foods
  and in many Asian dishes. Processed meats
  and cheeses (proteins) also contain glutamate."

[hop_goblin]

It literally looked like antifreeze. ... Well, it had this 'meaty' quality to it. It was nice and thick

Antifreeze, that is so correct! I guess you've proven your own theory about newbies having a fresh point of view! A wonderful review, Hop. Thanks so much.


Meaty or brothy quality is, I think, umami. I think the current theory is that we have sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami taste buds.

• "Umami is the response to salts of glutamic
  acid — like monosodium glutamate (MSG) a
  flavor enhancer used in many processed foods
  and in many Asian dishes. Processed meats
  and cheeses (proteins) also contain glutamate."

Ahh Nice Sal! Thanks for the input! I really find this interesting..

[Thirsty Daruma]

I second the motion on the Fuka's beautiful color, though I can't come up with anything more illustrative or imaginative than anti-freeze. Just really gorgeous, and a color I've never seen in my cup before. Ever.

[Salsero]

I second the motion on the Fuka's beautiful color ... Just really gorgeous, and a color I've never seen in my cup before. Ever.

Yes, it is called green. Leave it to the Japanese to make a green tea that is actually green!

[Ed]

Now you know why we make such a fuss about fukamushi, Garr.

[scruffmcgruff]

Okay, I swear, I will post about these teas soon. Sorry to keep you waiting, Chip.

[olivierco]

Shincha Fukamushi this afternoon.
I followed the brewing instructions (No, I didn't add some more leaves) and the result was excellent.
No bitterness, as astringent as it should be (thanks to the slow pour method I guess) and a nice vegetal taste.

I won't order some only because I have already too much shincha for this year.

Chip, merci beaucoup!

[scruffmcgruff]

Had some Miyabi today. Great stuff! Here are my notes (Partially cross-posted from blog):

***

This is a great tea. It has good flavor; it does not have the most intense flavor ever, but it is clean and refined. There is a light sweetness, and a pleasant cooling aftertaste. Chip mentioned tasting a slight roasty/nutty flavor, and I think I agree. Whether or not it's just in my head or not, though, I can't say. In my experience it isn't a particularly vegetal tea, but there is some grassiness. Also, it's pretty easy to brew, as long as you pay attention. Much easier than the Yukata Midori (or the Hatsumi, so I hear), anyway.

It is expensive, though. Compared to O-Cha's Kirameki it's a steal, but that's not saying much. Actually, having tried Miyabi, I can't really recommend Kirameki anymore. It's more expensive than Miyabi, and not nearly as good (in my opinion).

***

Thanks again Chip!