Gyokuro Fujitsubo

Tea: Gyokuro Fujitsubo
Vendor: O-Cha
Price: $45.95 / 100g
Source: Uji, Japan
Vendor Descripton: Uji Gyokuro "Fujitsubo" - O-Cha.com is honored to offer gyokuro "Fujitsubo", supplied to us from the Tsuen family who operate Japan's oldest teashop located on the banks of the Uji river. A very high quality, authentic first-flush gyokuro, this tea is a proprietary blend of "Saemidori" and "Yabukita" breeds of green tea, with the "Saemidori" being prominent. Gyokuro is shade grown before harvesting, giving it a greener color and sweeter taste. Once you learn to make it properly, you wil be hooked for life! Make sure to read our brewing instructions, as it is brewed differently than sencha.

Leaf: The leaf for this tea is a very deep shade of green. There are lots of small particles to this tea, but it has a rich gyokuro aroma. There is a little bit of stem in there, but not much.

1st Infusion Parameters: 5g, 5oz, 130F, 45s

1st Infusion: This tea has a light pale green color. It is very clear, and has a thick and rich aroma. The flavor is very strong, but the flavor is mostly on the front side. The flavor is rich and grassy, with a very smooth flavor. There is no astringency to it.

2nd Infusion Parameters: 140F, 15s

2nd Infusion: This infusion was murkier in color. It was a darker yellow hue, and lacked the radiance of the first infusion. The aroma was bolder and had a sense of grassiness to it. The flavor of this tea was quite envigorating. The feeling spread throughout the mouth and had a strong boldness to it. There was a light sencha like bitterness to the flavor, it was quite thick again and felt quite energizing.

3rd Infusion Parameters: 150F, 45s

3rd Infusion: There was a little bit of residue in this cup, but the color was a clear bright green hue. It was again bold with a very normal gyokuro flavor. It was grassy this time around, and lighter and cleaner than before. The flavor was clean and open.

4th Infusion Parameters: 155F, 2:00

4th Infusion: There was not much aroma to this infusion. The flavor was rich and strong early on, but there was not much fo a middle or late flavor. The flavor felt slightly light and empty. It was pretty apparent that the tea was starting to let up.

Rating: 9/10

Conclusion: This tea is quite wonderful. The flavor had different profiles in each infusion, it is a bit surprising to see it change this much. Normally it's changes within the normal part of the profile, but this had grassiness come and go in different infusions. After the 4th infusion it felt like it could probably go on further, but it would take a fair amount of time/temp to coerce it out of it. It seems like quite a pricey tea, but not that extreme for gyokuro.

Uji Gyokuro Gyoku Hou

Tea: Uji Gyokuro Gyoku-Hou
Vendor: O-cha
Price: $44.95 / 100g
Source: Uji, Japan
Vendor Description: Uji Gyokuro "Gyoku-Hou" - A very high quality first-flush gyokuro from Uji, near Kyoto. Gyokuro is shade grown before harvesting, giving it a greener color and sweeter taste. Once you learn to make it properly, you wil be hooked for life! Make sure to read our brewing instructions, as it is brewed differently than sencha.

Leaf: The leaf for this tea was lightly glossy with a dark green color. The green color was very even and consistent throughout this tea and there were a few very noticeable long leaves in there.

1st Infusion Parameters: 5g, 5 oz, 140F, 60s

1st Infusion: The first infusion had a pale light green almost luminescent hue to it. There was a very faint murkiness to it. The flavor was smooth, with a light sense of grassiness. There was a mild sensation of rich umami flavoring, but not much marine flavor. There was not much flavor on the backend of this tea. It had a very strong showing in the early to mid portions of the taste and had a very mouth opening feel to it. It was different than the clean sensation from a good sencha, but similar.

2nd Infusion Parameters: 145F, 15s

2nd Infusion: This infusion was slightly murkier. The color was green, but not quite the same luminescent hue as before. The flavor was light and had a certain emptiness to it. It felt like the core of the flavor was not well represented in this infusion, but the surrounding aspects of flavor were still present. There was more flavor in the back end than the front and mid. This flavor represented itself as a light grassiness, but aside from that there was not much else.

3rd Infusion Parameters: 150F, 60s

3rd Infusion: The color was light and clear again. The flavor was once again very clear. There was a light sense of astringency in this one, but it still felt like the core of the flavor was missing. There was a light flavor hiding toward the back of the flavor, but it felt like it was hiding.

Rating: 6/10

Conclusion: As much as I've heard wonderful things about the gyokuro offered by O-cha, I was disappointed by this tea. It felt like after the first infusion, the tea didn't really open up for the successive infusions. It may have been that upping the temperature or infusion times could have opened it up more, but it felt like there wasn't something there to open up to. I find that in second and to a lesser extent third infusions of gyokuro, the flavor should be open and almost only need be rinsed to get the flavor out. I was not impressed by this gyokuro as being a top end contender, but it wasn't a bad gyokuro. This would be an ok frequent drinking gyokuro if someone was looking for something to have once a week or so.

Yame Gyokuro

Tea: Yame Gyokuro
Vendor: O-cha
Price: $27.95 / 100g
Source: Yame, Japan
Vendor Description: Yame Gyokuro "Select" - High quality first-flush gyokuro grown in Yame, Japan. Over 50% of all gyokuro grown in Japan comes from Yame. Gyokuro is shade grown before harvesting, giving it a greener color and sweeter taste. Once you learn to make it properly, you wil be hooked for life! Make sure to read our brewing instructions, as it is brewed differently than sencha.

Leaf: The leaf for this tea has a very noticeable and pleasant gyokuro aroma. The leaf is a dark green color, and has a relatively long and thick appearance to it. The leaf does not appeared as needle like as some senchas. There is a surprising amount of powder to this tea.

1st Infusion Parameters: 10g, 5 oz., 140F, 60s.

1st Infusion: The tea came out witha very murky grassy green color to it. There is a slightly light and tingly aroma to it, which was surprising. Most gyokuro has a thicker aroma. The flavor is rich and distinctively gyokuro like, but not as thick as most. There is a light sense of astringency, and no bitterness. The flavor is very full and enjoyable, but lighter than most gyokuro.

2nd Infusion Parameters: 150F, 30s.

2nd Infusion: This was a darker and murkier infusion than the first one. The flavor was lighter and thinner than the first and it has an almost clean feeling to it.

Rating: 4/10

Conclusion: This tea was rather unusual for a yame gyokuro. It could not hold up well for as many infusions as other yame gyokuro. Tweaking with the parameters would probably extend this out to 4, but not past that. It feels almost like a what a fukamushi is to a sencha, this feels like it is to gyokuro. The cloudiness in the first infusion was very unexpected. Later experimentation with this tea showed that it brews well at lower leaf:water ratios and warmer water. It is wonderful in almost sencha like conditions.

Houjicha

Tea: Houjicha
Vendor: O-cha
Price: $8.95 / 100g
Source: Shizuoka, Japan
Vendor Description: Hojicha, or Houjicha - Green tea that has been "baked", imparting a red color and a very unique taste. Since the baking process removes the caffeine, this tea is often served in Japan to patients in hospitals, and to children.
Excellent iced, you will often find this tea served in Japanese restraunts. 100gm.

Leaf: This is a very unusual misx for a hojicha. It looks like a rather lightly roasted tea. There is less twig matter than some other hojichas that I have seen. There is a little bit of dust in there as well, but not too much.

1st Infusion: There is a deep heavy roasted aroma from this tea. The infusion is a light carmel brown color. Based upton the color of the leaf, the infusion was actually a bit darker than I expected it to be. The flavor is very smooth for a hojicha. There is a very strong middle flavor that tapers in a smooth aftertaste. There is a light tinge of bitterness from the roasted flavor.

2nd Infusion: The second infusion has a rounder flavor. It is a much smoother flavor thatn the first infusion. There is no astringency, but a very good flavor.

Rating: 9/10

Conclusion: This tea has a rather good houjicha flavor, but lacks any truly distinctive aspects. I'm somewhat amused as how different the leaf looks in comparison from the image from the website. I'm somewhat indifferent about this tea, but it doesn't seem to have any negative qualities to it.

Chiran Sencha Supreme

Tea: Chiran Sencha Supreme
Vendor: O-cha
Price: $17.95 / 100g
Source: Chiran, Kagoshima, Japan
Vendor Description: From the first 2008 harvest, a very special sencha from the very old samurai town of Chiran, located in Kagoshima prefecture at the southern tip of Japan. This wonderful tea is a variety of the "Yutaka Midori" breed green tea plant. Compared with most of the other Chiran samples we tried, this green has a deep steamed characteristic to it, giving it an exceptional green color, in addition an aromatic, unique Chiran green tea taste. We urge you to compare this Chiran sencha against any of the others available on the internet for that nice emerald green color and wonderful taste. Try some today!

Leaf: This tea primarily consists of very small pieces. There are a few longer pieces, but the tea definitely has the appearance of a fukamushi. The leaf is a nice shade of green with a smattering of light green bits. The leaf has a very sweet aroma to it.

1st Infusion: The infusion has a very dark murky green hue to it, with a hint of yellow in the shade of green. The tea has a very grassy and sweet aroma to it. The flavor matches the sweet aroma and finishes with a very light sense of astringency. The tea is very full bodied and flavorful and has a very strong flavor on in the middle-back end of the flavor. The flavor is very reminiscent of a fukamushi on the backend.

2nd Infusion: The second infusion is very dark green and murky in color. There is a light bitterness and it is very flavorful. There is a very strong contrast of the fukamushi flavor with the more characteristic yutakamidori flavor. It feels very thick for a sencha, with a medium sense of astringency. If thinking of this primarily as a fukamushi it has a very good flavor.

Rating: 8/10

Conclusion: When i tried this tea it was primarily in comparison to the Chiran Yutakamidori from Lupicia. The Lupicia version was not quite as strong of a fukamushi. In comparison this tea feels more like a fukamushi more than the yutakamidori flavor of the Lupicia. It represents a nice fukamushi though, but I would prefer the Lupicia over this one.

Uji Sencha Miyabi Shincha - Day 1

Tea: Uji Sencha Miyabi Shincha
Vendor: O-cha
Price: $27.95 / 100g
Source: Uji, Japan
Vendor Description: From the 2008 harvest and currently in "shincha" form, a very special sencha from Uji, near Kyoto, this tea is very aromatic and is of the highest quality. From the moment you open the package, that special aroma lets you know you're in for a treat. Deep green in color, "Miyabi" is even higher quality than a previous great Uji sencha we used to carry, and we're sure you will love this tea. We originally found this wonderful tea on a product scouting mission in Japan and brought some back to offer our customers. It's been popular ever since.
Challenge: We urge you to compare this sencha against any of the others available on the internet for that nice grassy aroma and taste. Try some today!

Brewing Notes: As shincha can be very bold, brew this green tea for only about 1.5 minutes and at a perhaps even lower temperature than you would normally.

Leaf: The leaf has a very clear and clean smelling vegetal aroma to it.

1st Infusion Parameters: 4.86g, 6oz, 170 F, 60s

1st Infusion: This infusion had a very clear green color to it. The initial flavor at the front of the tongue was very sweet. This flavor was very short lived though and it had no aftertaste or astringency. The flavor was very soft with a hint of grassiness to it.

2nd Infusion Parameters: 10s, 175 F

2nd Infusion: This time the tea produced a murkier color, it was much more vibrantly green. The initial taste was very different. The flavor was not as upfront, but rather was a softer and grassier flavor. It felt richer and smoother, with a light sense of astringency on the back end. Where the first infusion was tasted primarily on the tip of the tongue, this infusion had almost no flavor there. There was much more flavor on the back of the tongue for this infusion.

3rd Infusion Parameters: 180F, 30s

3rd Infusion: This time the tea was clearer, but yet retained a radiant green color to it. The flavor was lighter, and yet was very sweet. There was a medium sense of astringency with the tea this time around.

Fukamushi Sencha Supreme Shincha

Tea: Fukamushi Sencha Supreme Shincha
Vendor: O-cha
Price: $22.95 / 100g
Source: Shizuoka, Japan
Vendor Description: Fukamushi Sencha "Supreme" (Current stock is shincha) - A first rate, first flush green tea. Harvested from the first round of 2008 young spring leaves, this green tea comes from Shizuoka Prefecture. If you like an "intense" green tea, this is the tea for you. Very green and very thick. More astringent than most or our green teas, the taste of this fukamushi sencha remains on the palate for an extended time. As this is a very bold green tea, be sure to not brew too hot, for too long, or with too much leaf. As with all of our loose leaf green teas, freshly packaged in nitrogen filled bags.

Leaf Mass: 5.04g

Leaf: The leaf consisted of a lot of smaller pieces with a few larger leaves in it. This was somewhat expected of a fukamushi though, the small pieces tend to be characteristic of this kind of tea. The leaf seemed to have two main colors to it, a very dark rich green and a lighter paler green.

1st Infusion Parameters: 160 F, 6oz, 60s

1st Infusion: The liquor had a light yellow green color to it. It was slightly murky which seemed light for a fukamushi. Although it seemed about right for a first infusion. The flavor was very sweet and thick, it hinted at flavors of grains. There was definitely a strong grassy component to it. There was no astringency or bitterness, and the flavor tailed off into a long thick aftertaste. It had a kind of long flat flavor which brought to mind the thickness of the flavor.

2nd Infusion Parameters: 175F, 10s

2nd Infusion: This infusion had the characteristic fukamushi dark murky green color. The infusion was very surprisingly dark though, moreso than most other fukamushi that I have tried. This infusion had a light bitterness to it, and the thickness to it was gone. The flavor was surprisingly light considering the appearance of it.

3rd Infusion Parameters: 180F, 60s

3rd Infusion: This was another very murky and dark green infusion. The flavor was again very light despite the long infusion time and warmer water. There was a light astringency to it, and it seems as though the flavor had started to let go already.

Rating: 8/10

Conclusion: This tea had a very interesting flavor to it, the most interesting part was the first infusion with it's thick flavor and long aftertaste. I was a bit disappointed at the strength of the second and third infusions. Had I had more of this tea I could have experimented a bit more to try to unlock it's secrets, but alas I only had a small amount.

Daily Sencha

Tea: Shizuoka Green Tea Daily Sencha
Vendor: O-cha
Price: $ 10.95 / 100g
Source: Shizuoka, Japan
Vendor Description:Daily Sencha - This 2007 second harvest green tea is an above average quality sencha, far and away better than what you will find in your local grocery or health food store. If you are new to green tea, this would be a good starter tea. Fresh from Japan.
Additional Vendor Information:

Shipping Weight	110.00 grams
Growing Region	> 50% Shizuoka
Grown Under	Full Sun
Color	Yellow-Green
Aroma	Mild
Taste	Medium
Astringency	Medium
Consistency	Clear
Grams per Pkg	100
# of first infusions per Pkg	22
Organic	No

This was another o-cha tea that I got to try thanks to Chip over at Teachat. After having tried the Yutaka Midori, I wasn't expecting too much from this particular tea. The dry leaf was a bit less impressive, considering the presence of more particles in the tea, although that's not surprising or unexpected. There was a bit more variation in the tea leaf size varying from the dust to a few long leaves. Again, this was not unusual or unexpected.

The liquor had a very unusual color to it, it was murky with a high opacity although the color was a very light shade of green. Normally when I had seen this level of opacity the liquor itself was a very dark green color. But to see a light green such as this with this opacity was surprising.

The first infusion was rather surprising, the initial taste had a very sweet start. The first sip reminded me of the latter half of the taste of the Lupicia Ariake Yutakamidori. It was a sweetness that wasn't a sugary sweetness, nor the gyokuro sweetness, this was very much like the yutakamidori in that it reminded me of sweet potato. Behind this sweetness there was a trademark sencha bitterness tailing into the equally trademarked astringency. Both the bitterness and astringency were a roughly medium level.

The second infusion bestowed a deeper green color to the tea, with the same opacity as before. Interestingly this was less astringent than the first infusion, although the tea in general felt a bit weaker. If I had more of this tea I would have liked to play around with brewing variables more as I have a feeling that there is much to be unlocked with this tea.

Rating: 10/10

Conclusion: This is a very good tea. At the price it is an even better tea, it is right around what I would consider a good price for a daily tea, and it has no true faults to it. I enjoy the sweetness in the first part of the flavor profile, and find it even better when it is not replacing the bitterness or the astringency. It retains its fresh flavor and balances it all well.

Yutaka Midori

Tea: Kagoshima Sencha Yutaka Midori
Vendor: O-cha
Price: $24.95 / 100g
Source: Kagoshima, Japan
Vendor Description: From the first 2007 harvest, a very special sencha from Kagoshima prefecture located at the southern tip of Japan. An exceptionally "green" green tea, we are pleased to be able to offer a green tea of quality to our customers. We urge you to compare this sencha against any of the others available on the internet for that nice emerald green color and wonderful taste. Try some today!

Extra Vendor Information:

Shipping Weight	110.00 grams
Growing Region	> 50% Kagoshima
Grown Under	Full Sun
Color	Deep Green
Aroma	Mild
Taste	Grassy
Astringency	Medium
Consistency	Clear
Grams per Pkg	100
# of first infusions per Pkg	22
Organic	No

This is a tea that I got to try thanks to Chip from tea chat. I had been hearing people rant and rave about o-cha's tea for some time now, but had yet to try some out. I had heard that the quality was top notch, but the package size, price, and shipping price had deterred me somewhat. I was planning on ordering some when the shincha flush came out, but the opportunity to try it out presented itself first.

The leaf looked just as I imagined it would, a nice dark green color, without too many tiny particles, and a nice even leaf size.

The first infusion had a very light and delicate aroma to it. It was surprisingly refreshing considering many senchas do not have a very strong aroma to them, and the light aromas are normally such that you're struggling to find it rather than appreciate it. This one was just light and very refreshing. The flavor was very light and sweet on the onset, but led up to a very clean bitterness. The bitterness was actually quite perfect, it had just the right amount of tang to the flavor, and left the mouth with a clean feeling. The clean feeling was paired with a medium sense of astringency and a slight grassy aftertaste. There was a rather medium sense of body to the tea which was washed away by the bitterness.

I tried a second infusion which had a higher sense of astringency, but aside from that tasted much the same. Successive infusions had the same result, simply a very similar taste and an increase in the astringency.

Rating: 8/10

Conclusion: While I was not terribly impressed by this tea, it performed exactly as described, and is a very good representation of a good sencha. It is a solid performer which hits its key points with precision. The astringency is a bit high for my personal taste, but if you like an astringent sencha this is a good bet. I would however have liked to see something a bit more impressive considering the price.