Tea Review: Matcha Genmaicha (Sugimoto Tea)

Matcha Genmaicha

Sugimoto Tea
Type: Green
Origin: Japan, Shizuoka Prefecture
Product Description:

Roasted rice, sencha green tea leaves, and matcha come together in this blend to create a brilliant green cup of nutty, toasty genmaicha goodness. Spring and early summer leaves provide a hint of grassiness, while the matcha supplies a smooth, creamy umami. Our Matcha Genmaicha has half the leaves of our sencha and therefore half the caffeine, meaning you can peacefully enjoy all 3 steepings anytime of day.

Temperature: 175° F
Amount: 3 grams
Steeping Time: 1 minute

The dry leaf aroma is nutty and green with notes of roasted rice and nori.

The liquor is bright yellow-green with a savory aroma of nut and roasted rice and a hint of green grass.  The taste is savory, nutty, and green with a long sweet green and nutty finish.

I received this sealed sample as a gift from a friend some time ago.  Not knowing how old it was, I had no expectations for how it would taste and was very pleased with the results. This tea was savory and toasty throughout three infusions, developing a thicker mouth feel in the second infusion and becoming mellower yet toastier by the third.  

This tea was a gift from a third party.

Tea Review: Sugimoto Reserve Homare Sencha (Sugimoto Tea)

Sugimoto Reserve Homare Sencha
Sugimoto Tea
Type: Green
Origin: Japan, Shizuoka Prefecture
Product Description:

Experience the luxury of the Sugimoto Reserve collection, and the difference that authenticity makes. Homare Sencha is the highest quality sencha currently offered by Sugimoto Tea Company, our pride and joy. This is evident even in the name, which Hiroyuki Sugimoto gave to the tea: “homare” meaning “pride.” It’s made from the best of the best Yakibuta tea leaves from the spring harvest, carefully selected and blended together to ensure the highest quality.

This unique fukamushi style sencha is reminiscent of green beans and edamame, rich and brothy with a striking spring sweetness. Given our signature high heat final roast, this tea leaves a rich lingering finish.

Temperature: 175° F
Amount: 3 grams
Steeping Time: 30 seconds-1 minute

The dry leaf aroma is deeply savory with notes of freshly ground nuts.

The liquor is bright green and semi-opaque with a refreshing green, savory, and nutty aroma.  The taste is savory with umami, nutty, and mildly astringent with a hint of citrus and a long sweet green finish.

While I quite enjoyed the results from an initial 1 minute steeping, a slightly lower temperature and slightly shorter initial steeping time produces even more savory results.  Steeping the second infusion for 30 seconds and the third for 45 seconds brought out sweet, savory, and buttery notes and a long, sweet green, mouthwatering finish. 

This tea was purchased by me.

Tea Review: Temomi Shincha 2019 (Sugimoto Tea)

Temomi Shincha (2019)
Sugimoto Tea
Type: Green
Origin: Japan, Shizuoka
Product Description:

Many decades ago, Japanese green tea was still largely handmade by skilled artisans. However as technology progressed and became better able to create delicious tea through automated means, this tradition has gradually died off in Japan. 

Today, Temomi Shincha is a true rarity, offered to the emperor each year as a tribute. The average age of the Japanese farmer is well into their late 70's and more and more tea farms are closing every year. The few Temomi artisans that remain today don't have as much energy as they did yesterday, and it takes a lot of hard effort to make Temomicha.

Temomi Shincha is made from handpicked Shincha leaves and is hand-rolled, creating long fine tea needles that almost look like thick pine needles. Over the course of 12 hours the leaves are steamed in bamboo baskets and slowly hand-rolled on hot tables to form into needles before being spread out to dry. 

When brewed, the needles transform into their original bright green leaves. The light green broth has a strong savory aroma, thick mouthfeel, and rich umami flavor. 

In Japanese Tea Ceremony there is a special idiom, 一期一会 (ichigo ichie) which can be translated to, "One Life, One Meeting". This means that we should treasure every encounter we have, for the exact same meeting and circumstances will never happen again.

Drinking our fresh Temomi Shincha is a rare and special experience that we hope you get to enjoy before the opportunity becomes unavailable.

Temperature: 100° F-130° F
Amount: 10 grams
Steeping Time: 1-2 minutes

The dry leaves have a savory, nutty and green aroma.

The pale green infusion has a rich, savory, nutty, and green aroma.  The taste of the first infusion is bold, though not sharp, savory and refreshingly green with no astringency and a long, sweet, green finish.

For the first infusion I followed the brewing guidance from Sugimoto Tea, preparing in a small teapot (~6 oz), using the whole bag of tea (10g), and steeping for 2 minutes in 100° F water (~2.5 oz/just enough to cover the leaves).  The results of that first infusion had possibly the greenest taste I've experienced next to eating spent tea leaves.  The broth was so full of flavor, I would almost describe it as chewy and the lack of bitterness or astringency was a very pleasant surprise. 

Sugimoto recommends brewing subsequent infusions for 1 minute in 130° F water and I found that the astringency missing from the first infusion was very much present in the second.  While this will appeal to others, I preferred the slightly milder results of a 30-45 second infusion. 

This tea produced several full-flavored infusions and, when it was time to move on to other things, I put the spent leaves in a water-filled pitcher and let that infuse in the refrigerator for 3 hours.  The resulting cold brew was sweet, green, and refreshing with only the barest hint of astringency.

This tea was purchased by me.

Tea Review: Sugimoto Reserve Mizuki Matcha (Sugimoto Tea)

Sugimoto Reserve Mizuki Matcha
Sugimoto Tea
Type: Green
Origin: Japan, Fukuoka Prefecture, Yame
Product Description:  

“Mizuki” means celebration, happiness, fresh, and beautiful. It was chosen to represent a beautiful green tea field and perfectly describes this incredible ceremonial grade matcha from Yame, Fukuoka. Thick and creamy, this matcha is intensely nutty in aroma and flavor, similar to fresh pine nuts. It’s rich in umami and has no astringency. When it’s gone, it leaves a lingering steamed milk finish.

Temperature: 175° F

Tea Amount: ~1 gram (1 teaspoon)
Water: ~2 ounces (1/4 cup)

The matcha powder is vibrant green with a savory aroma that reminds me of macadamia nuts, roasted nori and sesame.

The tea in the warmed bowl has an aroma that is thick with umami and notes of freshly ground nuts.

After whisking, the aroma has notes of roasted nuts and cooked snow peas.  The taste is smooth and savory with no detectable astringency and with a lightly nutty finish.

I first tasted this matcha when it was introduced by Sugimoto Tea at Northwest Tea Festival last year and purchased a canister right away.  The texture is smooth and the flavor and aroma are delightfully thick with umami.  Usually the froth from whisking matcha tends to mute the aroma of the tea, so I was quite surprised that there was a distinct and pleasant aroma after whisking Mizuki Matcha.

This tea was purchased by me.

Tea Review: Gyokuro (Sugimoto Tea)

Gyokuro
Sugimoto Tea
Type: Green
Origin: Japan, Shizuoka Prefecture
Product Description: Gyokuro is a shaded green tea and considered one of the finest green teas in Japan.  Infusion produces a light green color and a deep, complex flavor.  Gyokuro has a unique sweetness since shade allows the tea to retain a high Theanine content.

Temperature: 140° F
Amount: 3 grams
Steeping Time: 1 minute

The dry leaf aroma is sweet and nutty.

The light green infusion has a rich and nutty aroma similar to almond butter with a smooth, sweet, and slightly nutty taste.  

While I enjoyed the results from 1 minute steepings, this gyokuro would do well with slightly longer (1.5 to 2 minute) first and third steepings.  The second steeping was bolder and more green in taste, without astringency.

This tea was provided as a free sample without guarantee of a review.

Tea Review: Organic Hibiscus Matcha (Sugimoto America)

Organic Hibiscus Matcha
Sugimoto America
Type: Flavored Green
Origin: Not provided
Product Description:  Energize your life with the combination of organic hibiscus flower powder and organic matcha in one delicious drink. Life is short; make sure your healthy drinks are also delicious! Our organic matcha is full of vitamins, caffeine, minerals, fiber, and catechins such as EGCG, and by using real hibiscus flowers in our mix you don’t just get the flavor of hibiscus, but also all the Vitamin C and other components of hibiscus as well.

This blend contains matcha, hibiscus, and monk fruit extract.

Cold Infusion

1 tablespoon matcha, 8 ounces ice cold water, shake vigorously

The infusion is a deep cranberry red with a vaguely sweet aroma. The taste is sweet and tart with a dry finish. Without heat to bring out the tartness of the hibiscus and the astringency of the matcha, this was pleasantly sweet and reminded me slightly of a sorbet.

Hot Infusion

1 teaspoon matcha, 8 ounces hot water (175° F), whisk thoroughly
Note: If you use a bamboo whisk, rinse thoroughly or soak in water shortly before use. This will prevent any discoloration from the hibiscus.

The infusion is a dark brick red with a tart aroma. The taste is sweet and tart with a dry finish. Here is where the natural tartness of the hibiscus comes through, pairing well with the matcha and resulting in a pleasantly festive flavor.

This tea was provided as a free sample without guarantee of a review.

    

Tea Review: Sakura Sencha, Yuzu Matcha Kukicha, Peppermint Hojicha (Sugimoto America)

Sugimoto America first introduced their line of flavored green tea blends at World Tea Expo 2016.  Those original blends have been improved and refined or have fallen by the wayside to make room for new blends over the past two years and now I have opportunity to review three of SA's current line.  Note that these teas are only available in bulk (.5 lb) or sample size.

Sakura Sencha
Sugimoto America
Type: Flavored Green
Origin: Japan, Shizuoka
Product Description:  The blooming of Sakura on cherry blossom trees across Japan marks the end of winter and the coming of warm weather and merriment. The sweet taste and the aroma of the flower petals and cherry blossom leaves compliment the smooth taste of the rich Sen Cha. The flavor is reminiscent of Sakura Mochi, a traditional springtime treat.

Enjoy the taste of eternal spring with this blend of traditional Japanese favorites.

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

The dry leaf blend includes green tea, cherry blossom leaves, and cherry blossom petals.  The aroma is mineral green with cherry blossom notes.

The bright green infusion has an aroma of sweet cherry blossoms and green grass.  The taste is mildly astringent, thick, and savory with notes of cherry blossom, cooked edamame, and string beans, with a long finish.

A second infusion at a reduced time (1.5 minutes) was opaque with more pronounced astringency which mellows out significantly by the third infusion.  The flavor and aroma are nicely balanced and pleasantly reminiscent of a cup of sencha paired with sakura mochi (my favorite springtime sweet).  Prepared as a cold infusion using ice cold water and steeping in the refrigerator for 4 hours, the taste was a bit too sharply astringent and the cherry blossom notes didn't come through, so a shorter steeping time of 1.5-2 hours would likely be ideal.

This tea was provided as a free sample without guarantee of a review.

Yuzu Matcha Kukicha

Sugimoto America

Type: Flavored Green
Origin: Japan, Shizuoka
Product Description:  In this flavor-rich blend, the umami of Matcha and Kuki Cha are complemented by the tart sweetness of Yuzu (a Japanese citrus best described as if an orange and a lemon had a beautiful baby). Kuki Cha has relatively low caffeine, making it easy to have another cup at any time of day. Even in cold water, this tea releases a smooth, complex flavor, making it perfect for a refreshing cold-brew.

Temperature: 175° F

Amount: 3 grams
Steeping Time: 2 minutes

The dry leaf blend includes green tea and yuzu peel.  The aroma is sweet with bold notes of yuzu alongside nuttye and savory green notes.

The bright (glowing) green infusion has a savory buttery and nutty green aroma with hints of yuzu citrus.  The taste is moderately astringent and boldly green with savory umami and light yuzu notes.

Though the flavor mellowed with each infusion, it remained savory and enjoyable throughout.  The yuzu taste became more prominent, though still mild, by the third infusion.  Prepared as a cold infusion using ice cold water and steeping in the refrigerator for 1.5 hours, the taste is invigorating with the yuzu more prominent while still being complementary to the crisp and savory green flavor.

This tea was provided as a free sample without guarantee of a review.

Peppermint Hojicha

Sugimoto America

Type: Flavored Green
Origin: Japan, Shizuoka
Product Description:  The refreshingly cool flavor of peppermint complements the warming earthy but gentle flavor of Hoji Cha in this surprisingly soothing blend.  If you are a peppermint lover, this is your cup of tea.

Temperature: 175° F

Amount: 3 grams
Steeping Time: 2 minutes

The dry leaf blend includes green tea and peppermint and the aroma of both are apparent.

The copper orange infusion has a bold smoky mint aroma with rich notes of roasted green tea.  The taste is minty and lightly smoky.  

For the best results, less is more.  Peppermint leaves have a lot of flavor and are feather-light, so fewer leaves (2 grams or less) and shorter steeping time (1 minute or less) will still result in a bold refreshing flavor without being overwhelming.  Prepared as a cold infusion using ice cold water and steeping in the refrigerator for 1.5 hours, the taste is brisk and refreshing, especially on a hot summer day.  You could safely cut the steeping time down by 30 minutes and still expect flavorful results.

This tea was provided as a free sample without guarantee of a review.

Tea Review: Hojicha (Sugimoto America)

Hojicha
Sugimoto America
Type: Green
Origin: Japan, Shizuoka Prefecture
Product Description: A high-temperature roasting process turns this tea a rich, toasty brown.  However, the use of green, non-oxidized stems and leaves still places this amongst green teas.  Roasted stems have a natural sweetness and body-warming, roasty aroma, making this is a great evening treat.

Temperature: 175° F

Amount: 3 grams
Steeping Time: 2 minutes

The dry leaves have an aroma of roasted nut shells, smoke, and a hint of cocoa.

The orange infusion has an aroma of smoke, caramelized sugar, and roasted nut shells.  The taste is sweet, smooth, and smoky flavor with long smoky-sweet finish.

This roasted green tea provided three flavorful infusions.  A longer steeping time after the second infusion or more leaves to start will help to bring out fuller flavor over several infusions.  

Tea Review: Organic Kabusecha (Sugimoto America)

Organic Kabusecha
Sugimoto America
Type: Green
Origin: Japan, Kagoshima
Product Description: Organic Kabuse Cha is a shaded green tea, giving it a rich umami and a delicate sweetness. The leaves are shaded roughly a week before harvest, making this tea a good balance between the flavor and appearance of Sen Cha and Gyokuro. The infusion produces a light green color with a complex flavor and a buttery mouthfeel. Organic Kabuse Cha has a unique sweetness since shading gives the tea a high Theanine content.

Temperature: 140° F
Amount: 3 grams
Steeping Time: 3 minutes

The dry leaves have a sweet and savory aroma of green grass, nuts, sweet oats, and dry wood.

The light green infusion has an aroma that is grassy, savory, and nutty with a faint note of dandelion. The taste is savory with notes of green beans fresh from the vine, nuts, and with a long green finish.

Several infusions produced a refreshing green taste with just a hint of something sharp in the aroma like wildflowers and very low astringency.

This tea was provided as a free sample without guarantee of a review.

Tea Review: Temomi Shincha (Sugimoto America)

Temomi Shincha
Sugimoto America
Type: Green
Origin: Japan, Shizuoka

Product Description:  Temomi Shin Cha is one of the rarest and highest quality Japanese green teas. The word temomi means "hand-rolled". From the meticulous picking of the best young tea leaves to the final process of kneading the leaves to fine needles, the whole practice is done by the hands of elite temomi artisans. A method used in Japan centuries ago, the temomi technique is vanishing due to the adoption of today's machines to produce tea. Temomi Shin Cha is offered to the Japanese Emperor each year in a ceremony celebrating the first tea of spring.

Temperature: 100° F-140° F

Amount: 10 grams
Steeping Time: 1-2 minutes

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

The clear green infusion has an aroma of freshly cut green leaves, macadamia nuts, and a touch of salt.  The taste is thick, nutty, intensely green, and astringent with a long green finish.

For this special tea, I followed the recommended directions provided by Sugimoto America.  The first infusion was steeped for 2 minutes at 100° F and the next two infusions were steeped for 1 minute at 130° F.  I used a wide shallow cup to avoid breaking the leaves and to watch them unfurl.  The first two infusions were thick in flavor and texture with a sweetness developing after the first infusion.  The third infusion was not at all thick and had the fresh, sweet green taste I associate with Spring.  

In the following photos, you can see how the leaves unfurl during each infusion.

Tea Review: Kuki Cha (Sugimoto America)

Advent Tea Calendar Day 11

Kuki Cha
Sugimoto America
Type:  Green
Origin:  Japan, Shizuoka
Product Description:  Premium Kuki Cha made of young tea stems harvested in spring. Packaged in a re-sealable foil pouch, this economically-sized package can be used by tea drinkers for fresh daily enjoyment.

Kuki Cha is made of young twigs separated during the Sen Cha refining process. Twigs have a natural sweetness, making Kuki Cha a beloved beverage of many tea drinkers in Japan because of its unique, pleasant flavor.

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

The dry leaves have an aroma of fresh cut grass, cooked edamame (soy bean), and cocoa powder.

The infusion is green and golden with an aroma that is green, savory, and salty marine.  The taste is smooth with low astringency, grassy green with notes of nuts and savory cooked edamame, and a refreshing green finish.

I was able to get three nice infusions from one serving of this tea.  The second infusion tended greener in color and flavor with a hint of astringency coming through, while the third infusion had a light, clean, green flavor.

This tea was provided as a free sample without guarantee of a review.

Tea Review: Hachiju Hachiya Shincha & Fukamushi Sencha (Sugimoto America)

I was challenged to do a side-by-side tasting of these two 2014 teas.  Both have some similar characteristics and I was curious to see how they compared.

Hachiju Hachiya Shincha
Sugimoto America
Type: Green
Origin: Japan, Shizuoka
Product Description: Hachiju Hachiya means "88 nights" and refers to the eighty-eighth day after the first day of spring on the traditional Japanese calendar. Tradition has it that the 88th day is the best time to pick tea, and to this day, Hachiju Hachiya Shin Cha is prized as high-quality green tea. The Japanese traditionally believe that drinking tea picked on the 88th day fends off diseases for the following year.

Temperature: 155° F
Amount: 3 grams
Steeping Time: 1 minute

The dry leaf aroma is a fresh grassy green, lightly salty, buttery, nutty, and savory.

The infusion is bright jade green with an aroma of warm butter and macadamia nuts.  The taste is moderately astringent, lightly umami, grassy green, lightly nutty and umami with a long brisk green finish.

This tea was provided as a free sample without guarantee of a review.

Fukamushi Sencha

Sugimoto America
Type: Green
Origin: Japan, Shizuoka
Product Description: This is our signature Sen Cha. "Fukamushi." refers to the deeper (longer) steaming process after the harvest. This extra steaming time results in finer leaves, and the taste is richer and more full-bodied than regular Sen Cha. Depending on steeping conditions, it has a bit of sweetness and outstanding fragrance.

Temperature: 155° F
Amount: 3 grams
Steeping Time: 1 minute

The dry leaves have an aroma of roasted nuts, green salty-marine kombu, and butter.

The infusion is bright jade green and golden with an aroma of warm butter, edamame (cooked soybeans in the pod), and macadamia nuts.  The taste is grassy green, moderately astringent, nutty, with a pronounced umami/savoriness, and hints of nori.  The finish is clean and green.

This tea was provided as a free sample without guarantee of a review.

Color:  The first infusion of the Shincha had a bright green liquor while the Sencha was bright green with a touch of gold .  During a second steeping of 30 seconds both teas became cloudy with the Shincha becoming significantly more opaque than the Sencha.  Both became noticeably clearer during a third 30 second steeping.

Aroma:  The Sencha had a savory aroma where the Shincha was slightly sweeter.  Both had the bright, fresh green notes I would expect from a spring harvest.

Taste:  Both teas had a desirable umami (savory) quality.  This was less pronounced in the Shincha which tended greener and slightly sweeter. The Sencha became boldly astringent during the second steeping and smoothed out during a third while the Shincha continued to be powerfully astringent throughout a second and third steeping.

Time and Temperature:  The time for three infusions (1 minute -> 30 seconds -> 30 seconds) and temperature (155° F) produced good results for the Fukamushi Sencha and I would expect to get several more good infusions.  The Hachiju Hachiya Shincha was flavorful and aromatic when steeped at 1 minute for 155° F, but I would lower the temperature (140° F) or shorten the steeping time to 15 seconds for consecutive infusions.  The astringency was fairly intense and tended to overlay the savory umami and other flavor notes that could easily be enjoyed throughout several infusions.