Official what GREEN are you currently drinking?

[debunix]

Tsuen Aoi sencha from O-Cha. Mmmmm.....morning sencha. Mmmmm.

[William]

I am drinking right now some Tsukigase Zairai, as always really really good!

In the meantime, I am observing these gentlemen, imagining their adventures!

[GeorgeGR]

Tsuen Aoi sencha from O-Cha. Mmmmm.....morning sencha. Mmmmm.

How would you describe the taste of that sencha? I'm looking for a grassy/vegetal sencha that isn't a fukamushi.

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Had a pleasant session of Gyoku-Hou today.

[Rui]

At the moment I am drinking a still very aromatic and delicious pre Qingming Longjing i.e. Organic Nonpareil She Qian Dragon Well Long Jing Green Tea from Teavivre.

Just cannot wait for March next year to pre-order the new season tea.

[debunix]

Tsuen Aoi sencha from O-Cha. Mmmmm.....morning sencha. Mmmmm.

How would you describe the taste of that sencha? I'm looking for a grassy/vegetal sencha that isn't a fukamushi.

Vegetal, sweet, hints of floral and astringency, delicate and robust and lovely. It is an asamushi that is content to be asamushi and isn't trying to be fukamushi.

[Tead Off]

2015 Temomicha by Mano Akira-saku. 3rd of 33 winners at National handmade tea fair in Saitama. The aroma fills the space quickly. Flavor permeates your mouth, nose, throat. Intense mouthfeel. Perhaps I brewed this a bit too much. 3g/60ml/50c/150 sec. Unfortunately, I get only one try at it as I only bought 1 packet. Every sencha drinker owes it to him/herself to try tea like this. Notice the leaves!

Mano Akira-san 2015 temomicha.jpg

[debunix]

Gorgeous stuff.

[Tead Off]

Even more gorgeous in look is 2013 Temomicha by Hiratsuka Shogo, Saitama teacher, #3 of 47 entries. Almost every leaf was whole, something very rare in a Japanese sencha. This one, however, I could not produce a full flavor out of. Incredibly mild and light colored liquor. With only 1 packet, 3g, adjusting brewing parameters is not an option. It's bingo or no cigar. Petr Novak shiboridashi.

2013 Temomicha, Hiratsuka Shogo.jpg

[TORamarn]

Even more gorgeous in look is 2013 Temomicha by Hiratsuka Shogo, Saitama teacher, #3 of 47 entries. Almost every leaf was whole, something very rare in a Japanese sencha. This one, however, I could not produce a full flavor out of. Incredibly mild and light colored liquor. With only 1 packet, 3g, adjusting brewing parameters is not an option. It's bingo or no cigar. Petr Novak shiboridashi.

I also feel that a lot of temomichas and competition-style senchas suffer from this thin flavor/fragrance. I feel that maybe they try to make the tea well balanced and round by "reduce" all different flavors to be within some confined space. Some award-winning teas, both senchas and matchas, are really amazing but I couldn't help feeling that they're some kinds of man-made objects as opposed to natural plants.

I think those teas are so... very Japanese.

[Tead Off]

Even more gorgeous in look is 2013 Temomicha by Hiratsuka Shogo, Saitama teacher, #3 of 47 entries. Almost every leaf was whole, something very rare in a Japanese sencha. This one, however, I could not produce a full flavor out of. Incredibly mild and light colored liquor. With only 1 packet, 3g, adjusting brewing parameters is not an option. It's bingo or no cigar. Petr Novak shiboridashi.

I also feel that a lot of temomichas and competition-style senchas suffer from this thin flavor/fragrance. I feel that maybe they try to make the tea well balanced and round by "reduce" all different flavors to be within some confined space. Some award-winning teas, both senchas and matchas, are really amazing but I couldn't help feeling that they're some kinds of man-made objects as opposed to natural plants.

I think those teas are so... very Japanese.

I tend to agree, but keep in mind that they are Asamushi so will not exhibit some of the deeper, umami styles that are prevalent. It's a good observation about 'confining' or 'reducing' the flavor profile. Some are too delicate for my taste, but some can really hit the spot. I think it takes some time to learn to brew these teas for optimum flavor.

[Tead Off]

2013 Temomicha by Ikeya Hideki. Saitama tea, #3 of 43. The aroma of the dry leaves upon opening the packet promised something good. Just enough flavor and mouthfeel to make this float in the mouth. Very nice, still on the delicate side and having whole leaves. This was my 2nd favorite of the 3 that I posted. The top one was the 2015.

2013 Temomicha Ikeya Hideki.jpg

[GeorgeGR]

Finishing up the last of Gyoku-Hou. I'm going to order some Blended Sencha from Hibiki-an next.

[TORamarn]

I tend to agree, but keep in mind that they are Asamushi so will not exhibit some of the deeper, umami styles that are prevalent.

I think steaming affects the boldness of tea taste in general but not the amount of umami. Umami should be from the type and amount of fertilizers used. These temomi and competition-grade tea have very mild taste because they're picked at very young age.

[Tead Off]

I tend to agree, but keep in mind that they are Asamushi so will not exhibit some of the deeper, umami styles that are prevalent.

I think steaming affects the boldness of tea taste in general but not the amount of umami. Umami should be from the type and amount of fertilizers used. These temomi and competition-grade tea have very mild taste because they're picked at very young age.

But shincha is also picked at a young age and many have bold taste and umami profiles. What would be the difference? Is it only the hand picking and processing that 'constrain' the boldness of taste? Is umami only produced from strong fertilization?

[William]

But shincha is also picked at a young age and many have bold taste and umami profiles. What would be the difference? Is it only the hand picking and processing that 'constrain' the boldness of taste? Is umami only produced from strong fertilization?

How is the first brew of these temomicha TO? Strong or already mild?