Leaf Type: Green
Produced on the Hito to No, Shizen Wo Tsunagu Kai Farm in Japan
Farmer: Toshiaki Kinesuka
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Taster’s Review:
I have tried this on two separate occasions before I sat down to write about it. The first time I brewed it, I brewed it “light” – that is, I used a little less leaf than I normally would. This is something I generally do with a Japanese Sencha, because the leaf cut is so fine that more tea ends up in a teaspoon than, say, with a Chinese Sencha, which tends to have larger leaves. The second time I brewed it, I used more leaf. And while I enjoyed it both times, I do think I prefer the lighter infusion.
The first infusion was very light and crisp and had very little astringency … much less than I expected after reading the description of this tea:
Yabukita Midori – Soil development of a tea field is a decade-long process and Kinezuka-san has had many years to perfect his cultivation methods. The result of that is the Yabukita Midori tea leaf, made from the Yabukita tea plant cultivar and harvested in the week of the 88th day. In Japanese tea culture, the 88th day after the start of spring in the old calendar is when the tea leaves are said to be at their best, and tea made from these leaves is said to grant you long life. The taste is a deep balance of sweetness and astringency.
It is because of so little astringency that I thought maybe I had misjudged the amount of tea that I should use, and I decided to try to brew it again on the following day … that time with a little more leaf. With the second infusion, there is a bit more body to the cup, as well as more astringency. The astringency is tangy, and it provides an interesting contrast to the sweetness of this tea.
I enjoyed both infusions; this is a wonderful Japanese Sencha. However, I do think I preferred the lighter infusion. It is so sweet and refreshing! Such a crisp, pure taste. It tastes fresh and grassy. There is a fruit-like undertone which is more prominent in the stronger infusion.
This is a tea for those who truly love green tea. Soothing, restorative and yet invigorating. A perfect cup of green tea.
