Tea Review: Organic Okumidori Kabuse Sencha (Charaku)

Organic Okumidori Kabuse Sencha (2021)

Charaku
Type: Green
Origin: Japan, Kagoshima Prefecture, Kirishima
Product Description: 

Kabuse (literally "covered") teas represent a growing technique where the tea plants are shaded for a period prior to harvest. This includes Gyokuro, but Gyokuro is shaded longer (3-4 weeks,) and more completely than a Kabuse Sencha, which might be shaded for a week or two at most, allowing it to occupy a space between Sencha and Gyokuro. This Kabuse Sencha is a low astringency, soft and smooth, medium body tea with mellow amami (sweetness) notes.

Kirishima is located in the center of Kagoshima Prefecture between Kinko Bay to the south and the Kirishima Mountains to the north bordering Miyazaki Prefecture. Organic tea production in the area has increased in recent years.

Temperature: 175° F
Amount: 3 grams
Steeping Time: 30 seconds-2 minutes

The dry leaf aroma is sweet, nutty, and green.

The pale jade green infusion has a sweet green, nutty, and lightly vegetal aroma.  The taste is light and savory with notes of nuts and sunflower seeds and a long savory green finish.

For this tasting, I brewed the first infusion for 2 minutes, the second for 45 seconds, and the third for 30 seconds.  This was a lovely, light and refreshing shaded sencha that reminded me of springtime.  I was particularly impressed with how much savory umami was in the finish and enjoyed it so much, it seems that I forgot to take photos of the liquor.  

This tea review was written in September 2021.  This tea was purchased by me.