Some help on sencha from Zencha

[Fireflower]

i made my first order on yuuki cha (uji gyokuro gokou and tenryu misakubo asamushi sencha)
i woul like also to try a fukamushi from zencha, i cannot decide beetween fuji sp, takumi and kiwami because in the website there are not so many informations.
what are the differences on these three teas?

[brlarson]

Hello fireflower.

Zencha's Takumi and Kiwami are both chumushi, not fukamushi, but they are both worth tasting. I am a hard-core Zencha fan, but I'm less excited by their fukas than by their other sencha and gyos.

I suspect that one or two TCers might suggest O-Cha's yutaka midori as a good fuka.

[Fireflower]

thank you very much.
so wich can be the difference beetween takumi and kiwami?
i read very very good things about o cha ym but zencha it was more attractive to me.

[Chip]

Takumi is made with Goukoh (spelled several ways) which is usually used to make gyokuro, not sencha ... so it is a bit like gyokuro and sencha. I have not had Kiwani for a few years. Interestingly, Moe though not flashy is pretty good for the price.

The Fuji SP is pretty good fukamushi.

[Fireflower]

i am thinking that kaybe it will be good idea to try yutaka midori from o cha instea some sencha on zencha

[Stentor]

Fuji Super Premium from Zencha is very good. It's typical fukamushi with a strong taste. I have an unopened bag of Takumi in the fridge so I can't comment on that, yet.
You should check out this thread: OTTI 7 & 8, Asa/Fuka Mushi Duel http://www.teachat.com/viewtopic.php?f=66&t=14302 for some more tasting notes on Fuji SP and Fuga SP from Zencha.

If you're ordering from O-Cha, I suggest you also order Miyabi, it's a chumushi that is very similar to fukamushi and is simply great. You're missing out if you don't try it.
Both O-Cha's Yutaka Midori and Miyabi are excellent.

Either way, let us know what you decide to buy and how you like it.

brlarson, can you make some more recommendations (and/or tell us some of your tasting notes) regarding Zencha.net?

[Fireflower]

Fuji Super Premium from Zencha is very good. It's typical fukamushi with a strong taste. I have an unopened bag of Takumi in the fridge so I can't comment on that, yet.
You should check out this thread: OTTI 7 & 8, Asa/Fuka Mushi Duel http://www.teachat.com/viewtopic.php?f=66&t=14302 for some more tasting notes on Fuji SP and Fuga SP from Zencha.

If you're ordering from O-Cha, I suggest you also order Miyabi, it's a chumushi that is very similar to fukamushi and is simply great. You're missing out if you don't try it.
Both O-Cha's Yutaka Midori and Miyabi are excellent.

Either way, let us know what you decide to buy and how you like it.

brlarson, can you make some more recommendations (and/or tell us some of your tasting notes) regarding Zencha.net?

and what you would suggest between ym, miyabi or fuji sp?
i have to wait to start and finish my yuuki cha sencha and gyokura and then i will take some of this tea.

[Stentor]

and what you would suggest between ym, miyabi or fuji sp?

I like the Miyabi the best out of those. It is also the least risky choice in my opinion as it is a little milder than the other two.
The riskiest choice may be the Fuji if you don't like sort of marine, seaweed, spinach taste. It is a very bold fukamushi. If you do like that taste a lot however, this is your obvious choice.
YM is great too, though, and very well liked by many!
I don't think you can go really wrong with any of them.
You should try them all eventually. Maybe start by ordering Miyabi and YM from O-Cha and then order some from Zencha.

[tortoise]

I doubt you will be disappointed with any of the suggested teas. Fuji SP is excellent and a little more marine than O-Cha's YM which is a classic, sweet fukamushi. Miyabi is a personal favorite that is a very dynamic tea. Sweet, nutty and grassy. I haven't had takumi from zencha but it's on the short list.

I hope you can get two teas from which ever vendor you choose.

[Fireflower]

thank you very much to everybody i don't like too much marine taste so i tend to exclude fuji sp at this point and to take ym or miyabi from o cha.
but first i will try my yuuk cha teas.
i tried sencha tenryu misakubo, maybe i have made a wrong brewing and i try it again but is it a good tea. i think that fukamushi maybe is it more on my taste

[Stentor]

Yeah, make sure you don't have more than you can drink in a reasonable amount of time.

How did you brew your tea? What temperature and how long? Do you preheat your kyusu with hot water?
Keep trying and don't give up on a tea too soon. A little colder and shorter sometimes makes all the difference.
With asamushi sencha I usually do between 65° and 70° C and 90 seconds for the first steep, then 30-40 seconds at around 73° C, then 77° C for 60 seconds, then about 120 seconds at about 82° C. With later steeps you don't have to be so exact about the times and temperature but the first two are crucial to my experience.

Regarding Zencha, a fukamushi without the "marine" taste that they have is the Fuga Super Premium. It's a bit on the mild side for fukamushi but I think it's pretty nice. From what it sounds like it might be a tea that you would enjoy.
As you can see, there are lots of good sencha to try and I'm still relatively new to it myself and have a long list of teas I want to try.

[Chip]

... I never compare organic to conventionally grown ... two completely different animals!

[entropyembrace]

If you like veggie flavour try the Fuga Super Premium from Zencha...very strong fresh veggie flavour from it

not sure about the others...only two I have tried from Zencha are Fuga SP and Fuji SP....Fuji I thought was very marine too...I like both even they are quite different

Also if you go for the Fuga try brewing at 175ºF a lot of senchas seem to do better 160º or below but the Fuga SP doesn´t seem to be one of them imo.

[iannon]

so many teas so many ways I loved Fuji the Ultimate too. Takumi is a yearly fav..and i ditto Chip in saying the Moe, while it wont blow you away, is a great value sencha

[Fireflower]

and what about ym and miyabi, what kind of taste they have?
thx very much to everybody, great forum