Wednesday, April 26, 2023

Tea Review: Yabukita Competition-grade Organic Sencha (Charaku)

Yabukita Competition-grade Organic Sencha
Charaku
Type: Green
Origin: Japan, Kagoshima Prefecture, Satsumasendai, Miyazono Farm
Product Description:
This Competition-grade JAS Organic Sencha is proudly grown by Kenkichi Miyazono, whose family has over a century of tea growing experience passed down through each generation. Now dedicated to natural farming methods, his tea fields sit near the shore of Lake Imuta, a Ramsar Convention registered wetland, and the mountains of Funemidake and Atagotake. He farms with a philosophy that beautiful nature produces beautiful tea. This tea has a sweet grassy aroma and infuses to a clear light green hue. The first infusion is full-bodied, buttery, and umami-rich, with little astringency. The second infusion brings more shibumi (astringency) up-front, with a sweet grassy finish. Third and fourth infusions are much lighter in body, but have a balance of amami (sweetness) and shibumi (astringency) with a slightly grassy astringent finish.
Temperature: 165° F
Amount: 3 grams
Steeping Time: 30 seconds - 2 minutes

The dry leaves have a nutty, marine green aroma with notes of sunflower seeds.

The liquor is pale green with an aroma that is savory and nutty with green edamame notes.  The taste is mildly astringent, grassy green, and nutty with a clean green finish.

For the purpose of this review, I followed the recommended steeping directions provided by Charaku using 165° F water: 2 minutes for the first infusion, 1 minute for the second infusion, 30 seconds for the third infusion.  Sencha sometimes tends more grassy (full-sun) or more savory (partially shaded) and I found that this example to have a nice balance of both.  For those who prefer sencha with more astringency and grassiness, a slightly longer steeping time and/or hotter water temperature produce great results.  I also found this fairly forgiving when brewed much more casually at the office with short steeps using hotter water.  

This tea was purchased by me.





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