Tea Review: Sayamacha Okumidori Fukamushicha (Yunomi/Yokota Tea Garden)

Sayamacha Okumidori Fukamushicha おくみどり

Yokota Tea Garden/Yunomi
Type: Green
Origin: Japan, Saitama Prefecture, Sayama
Product Description: 

Premium fukamushicha (a deep steamed tea leaf) made with a single tea plant cultivar, okumidori. The Okumidori tea cultivar is a cultivar that has been quite popular in recent years for its strong natural umami flavor and refreshing taste and smell. It is often blended with the Yabukita cultivar but this tea from the Yokota Tea Garden is a single cultivar, allowing you to fully taste this well-rounded cultivar. Grown by 4th, 5th, and 6th generation tea farmers in the famous Sayama region of Saitama prefecture.

Temperature: 160° F
Amount: 3 grams
Steeping Time: 1-1.5 minutes

The dry leaves have nutty aroma with a hint of green.

The pale green liquor has a savory, nutty and lightly green edamame-like aroma and flavor with a long, refreshing green finish.

As expected, and something I look forward to with deep-steamed tea, the first infusion was light and pleasant while the second developed a brighter liquor color and a deeper, richer flavor.  While I enjoyed this tea at the recommended brewing time of 30-60 seconds, I found that I much preferred the greener results by brewing for 1-1.5 minutes.  At a higher temperature, the shorter brewing time works very well. 

This was a Fukubukuro tea, selected by Yunomi staff after you specify the grade.  Fukubukuro (lucky bag) are available as part of the Japanese New Year's festivities and are most often blind bags from retailers.  It's always a fun surprise to see what's inside and the packaging for my tea was beautiful.

This tea was purchased by me.