Hello Tea Friends!
Welcome to day 8 of this Siam Tea Advent-ure.
I will waste no time and get to it. Let’s open pouch 8.
Sencha Gokujo (Ichibancha)
Sencha Gokujo, about translating to ‘best quality Japanese green tea’, fully lives up to its name. As an unshaded Sencha tea of the first spring picking (April) with a picking standard of young spring buds and leaves only, this green tea from the north of Kagoshima prefecture is almost a rarity on the western tea market. The fertile volcanic soils and the beneficial climate of Kirishima mountains, along with the mist regularly covering the tea gardens further contribute to infusing this soft, floral-sweet and tantalizingly fruity tasting tea with a highly distinct character of its own.
Japanese greens make me smile like a Cheshire Cat. It also makes me speak Japanese in my mind (what little I’ve taught myself from watching Anime). Waa! Sugoi ne!
In appearance these leaves are fairly dark green with a super shine and consist of loosely broken pieces.
The scent is heavenly! Umami heavy packed with seaweed, sweet grass, honey suckle and fresh kale.
Steeping Parameters: 5g leaf, 200ml kyusu, 70C water
First Steep: 1 minute
Once prepared this tea is yellow in colour and bares a soft, seaweed scent.
Flavour is also subtle yet very clean tasting. Hints of dry grass, seaweed and flowers with a dry after taste.
Also somewhat buttery with mild sweetness. Very easy to drink.
Second Steep: 20 seconds
More cloudy yellow at this point.
A lot more flavour now the leaves have been opened. Umami goodness with mineral tones (kale and broccoli), seaweed (that touch of salt) and the thick but sweet grass that coats the tongue to give complete mouth feel. Some dryness in the after taste though.
Umami is very soup broth like but I adore it. It’s not too heavy here but it is noticeable. Delicious!
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As a side note my yunomi style tea cup is from Dunelm.
The first steep was so delicate it showed the first flush nature and purity of this tea. It wasn’t until the second steep that it showed what it can do and boy did this pack a delicious umami kick!
Join me tomorrow for another Siam Tea review.
Happīsuteipingu!
