Produced by Ukibe Seicha Haru Ichiban
For More Information, visit the Tea Farms webpage
About ITFA Global Tea Taster’s Club:
By subscribing to the Global Tea Tasters Club, you will receive tea from ITFA tea farms 6 times per year. Each time, we will select a different region to feature and as we grow in tea farm members, so will your tea experience.
Your tea will also be accompanied by info about the tea and the tea farms themselves.
To know where your tea is coming from, who has grown and produced it, to taste the difference in teas from around the world…what could be better?
Taster’s Review:
I know I’ve probably said this quite a bit when talking about these teas from the International Tea Farms Alliance’s Global Tea Taster’s Club, but this tea is incredible! The name “Superior Sencha” does not deceive … this is one of the very best Sencha teas I’ve ever tasted (if not THE best!)
The flavor is sweet and gentle. It is both soothing and invigorating at the same time. I know that these two terms (soothing and invigorating) may seem to be contradictory, but, to really understand where I’m coming from, you just have to taste this tea. I feel revitalized as I also feel the stresses of my day being washed away by this amazing Sencha.
I would categorize this as a light to medium body, but with a smooth, almost brothy mouthfeel. There is very little astringency to this Sencha – far less than I am used to when it comes to the Sencha teas that are readily available here in the United States. It is sweet, with hints of fruit notes (sweet apple) and a very distant floral note (honeysuckle, maybe?)
When I taste this tea, I feel that I am tasting the very best that Japan has to offer. I feel honored to have this opportunity to taste such a tea so special, and it is a joy to drink. Thank you, ITFA!
Matcha from Aiya, Part 1: Premium Grade Matcha
Leaf Type: Green (Matcha)
Where to Buy: Aiya
Product Description:
For the true tea connoisseur, Aiya’s premium Matcha provides a level of quality that is typically reserved for high-class Japanese tea ceremonies. While daily consumption is encouraged, this grade is typically reserved for special occasions.
Taster’s Review:
I have been on a fabulous Matcha journey, courtesy of Aiya! This is the first of three delicious Matcha teas that I will be exploring on this journey.
The first thing I noticed about this Matcha was the color as I started to whisk. It was so vivid! Such a bright, beautiful color of green. I don’t typically smell a Matcha when it’s dry … having done this before and getting my nostrils full of Matcha powder, it is not a mistake I am likely to make again. But now that it’s whisked, I smell a pleasant fresh fragrance. It smells lightly grassy, and even somewhat like freshly steamed vegetables.
This Matcha froths up nicely. The flavor is sweet with a sharp, savory bitter tone. It is a very pleasing contrast of flavors. The texture is smooth and creamy, and that creaminess also translates into the flavor, creating a taste sensation that is something like creamed veggies. The flavor is very vibrant, and there is no chalkiness in the aftertaste.
Another notable quality is how energizing it is! After finishing my chawan of this Matcha, I felt like I could go and run a marathon with energy to spare! Amazing!
Fukamushi-Sencha Yame from Den’s Tea
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Den’s Tea
Product Description:
It is our best quality Fukamushi-Sencha and is also unique in that it is from a special species, Yutakamidori. Den’s favorite Fukamushi-Sencha.
Taster’s Review:
The aroma of the dry leaf is quite grassy, and when you look at the dry leaf, you might think that you’ve a bunch of blades of green grass rather than tea leaves. The leaves have a very slender cut to them, and they look like blades of bright green – and I mean vividly green! – grass. And that’s almost the color liquor it produces too. A very bright, jade green. Beautiful!
And although I’ve never actually brewed blades of grass before, I don’t think that it would taste like this. Yes, there are some grassy tones to this tea, but it is so much more complex than that. It has a wonderful texture to it, and the flavor is a savory, broth-like taste. It isn’t as sweet as some Sencha teas tend to be, this one has more of a savory note to it. And while it does have a creamy texture to it, it doesn’t taste creamy or buttery. It tastes nutty and toasty, like freshly roasted chestnuts.
There are hints of sweetness along with a distinct sour tone that leans to the aforementioned savory side. It has a very comforting effect that reminds me of the feeling I would get if I were eating chicken soup. This doesn’t taste like chicken soup, of course, but you know that feeling? That warm, home-y, comforting sense of well-being that you get when you have a cup of homemade chicken soup? That’s what I feel right now as I sip this. It is very soothing, very relaxing, and quite delicious.
This is a tea that I’d like to keep on hand for when I might be feeling under the weather, or any time that I want to experience that satisfying feeling of something so comforting and delicious.
Silky Green Tea from Bird Pick Tea & Herb
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Bird Pick Tea & Herb
Product Description:
Entice your senses with Premium Silky Green Tea. Offering a pleasantly sweet and creamy aroma and flavor, its refreshing brew provides surprisingly light and delicate notes that easily pleases the taste buds. Try adding sugar and ice for a refreshing beverage that will surely not disappoint any palate.
Taster’s Review:
A quick glance at these tea leaves and one might think that they’re looking at an Oolong tea – I know I did! The leaves are tightly wound into little pellets and look a lot like a green Oolong. So, I decided to treat this one like an Oolong, and I brewed it in my gaiwan.
The flavor is also quite similar to an Oolong – there is a silky mouthfeel and it has a sweet, buttery taste that I’ve often experienced with green Oolong. The first two infusions (following a quick rinse) tasted so very much like a milk Oolong. It was sweet, creamy and rich.
Following those two infusions, I noticed that the leaves were barely opened, and were begging for more infusions. I just had to oblige. The next two infusions were similar in taste, but lighter on the creamy/buttery taste. These two infusions did not have as thick a mouthfeel to it, and floral notes began to emerge. These two infusions may have tasted different, but they were every bit as lovely to experience as the first two.
If you’re an Oolong enthusiast, you really must try this tea. You’ll be surprised at just how much this green tea tastes like an Oolong!
2010 First Flush Premium Oolong from Mauna Kea Tea
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: This flush is sold out, however, keep an eye on Mauna Kea Tea’s website for updates on when this year’s harvest is available!
Product Description:
Our First Flush Premium Oolong Tea is the first harvest of the year. This is medium oxidation oolong which has slightly fruity flavor and bold floral aroma. Hand harvested and processed. Naturally oxidized under the sun.
partially oxidized leaves are then hand-processed to enhance floral aroma and bring out full flavor.
Organically Grown at our farm in Hawaii.
Taster’s Review:
I’ve never been to Hawaii. I hope to go sometime, but until then, I like to think that I’m experiencing a bit of Hawaii through Hawaiian-grown teas like this one from Mauna Kea.
The aroma is fantastic. It smells much the way I imagine the air in Hawaii to smell: floral, vegetal, and fresh. A very aromatic, vibrant fragrance!
The flavor is sublime! It is very delicate and floral, with a kiss of vegetation to the background. There is a beautiful fruity essence to the flavor as well, with flavors that remind me of sweet plums.
The sweetness to this cup is remarkable, no additional sweetener is required. In fact, I feel that adding sweetener to this cup would ruin this tea. I has such a lovely delicate quality to it.
I recommend brewing this tea in a gaiwan to get the most out of this tea. Drink it hot to enjoy all the subtle nuances to it. This is truly a rewarding tea!