Hashiri Shincha - Round 2

Round 2: Took another shot at the Hashiri Shincha from Sugimoto USA. Turned out a bit better this time, but there might be more room for improvement.

1st Infusion Parameters: 185F, 5oz, 3.5g, 45s

1st Infusion: This infusion was lightly murky with a green shincha radiance to it. It's not as opaque as Round 1, but it still has a certain degree of murkiness to it. The aroma is vibrant and fresh. The flavor is lighter, but bodied. It has a light central flavor, but the flavor is filled with freshness and just a hint of fukamushi power.

2nd Infusion Parameters: 185F, Instant pour

2nd Infusion: This infusion was characteristic dark murky fukamushi green. The flavor was quite rich and more bodied. There was just a little bit of astringency to the flavor.

Conclusion: The second infusion is still coming stronger than I would like. I'm considering dropping the leaf down further and extending the first infusion to keep that around where it is. then an instant pour might work better with the 2nd Infusion. Still it's a lovely tea, but I just have the feeling that this could go further and be more impressive.

Hashiri Shincha

Tea: Hashiri Shincha 2009
Vendor: Sugimoto USA
Price: $20.00 / 50g
Source: Japan
Vendor Description: Hashiri means "early season" in Japanese. Our Hashiri Shincha is produced from very young leaves harvested at the end of April (This year's harvest was April 24th). These early-season leaves are very soft and contain a lot of sweetness. This is the taste of spring.

Leaf: The leaf for this tea is a very characteristic fukamushi. It appears to be moreso than most other fukamushi that I have run across. Most of the leaf is in the small pieces that is somewhat distinctive of fukamushi. There is a rich vegetal aroma to this dark green mix.

1st Infusion Parameters: 5g, 5 oz, 185F, 45s

1st Infusion: This tea has a rich green color. It is quite dark for a first infusion, but still has a shincha radiance to it. The flavor felt like there were three separate portions to it. There was a very up front assertive fukamushi flavor, followed by a sharp and bold central flavor, and finished with a light tapering marine backend. It felt like there was a very cleansing bitterness to this tea, there was just the right amount of astringency on the backend to pair up with this.

2nd Infusion Parameters: 15s, 185F

2nd Infusion: This infusion was a dark green murky fukamushi color. It was pretty much what I've come to expect from a second infusion fukamushi. It was dark and murky. The flavor was much bolder than before, it was sharper and more bitter than the first infusion. There was a medium astringency. It felt like there was too much power to this infusion that it became a bit harsh. There were hints of marine flavor with this infusion.

Rating: TBD

Conclusion: Since shincha can be very tricky to pin down, I'm going to wait to determine a rating for this tea in this infusion. I'll alter the parameters a bit and do a second review for it. At these parameters the tea was a bit too strong and overpowering. Even still it managed to show some of those shincha qualities that make the spring a wonderful time for green tea. It has the vibrance and freshness of spring in it. Unfortunately like the Temomi this tea was preorder only.

Temomi Shincha 2009

Tea: Temomi Shincha 2009
Vendor: Sugimoto USA (SA)
Price: $15.00 / 10g
Vendor Description: Temomi Shincha is a very special tea for very special occasions. It is made only by hands starting from picking fresh leaves in the tea field to kenading the leaves for the final process. Whole procedure takes approximately 8 hours. On April 19th 2009, 1.8kg (4lb.) of Temomi Shincha was made by 8 Temomi artisans in Shizuoka Japan. By following the enclosed instructions you can experience the same taste and flavor which the ancients enjoyed several hundred years ago. Just like espresso, it is to enjoy a shot of intense and rich green tea.

About This Tea: This tea is a very special offering. It's the first time that this tea is available to the US. It is quite impressively hand crafted in very exclusive small batches. This item was available for preorder only. It is a unique experince in the world of tea and is something that I think any true lover of green tea should enjoy.

Leaf: The leaf for this tea has nothing but beautufl long and graceful needles to it. They are all whole leaves, around an inch in length or so. There is a light marine aroma to it and the leaves are lightly shiny.

1st Infusion Parameters: 10g, 100F, 2.5oz, 2 min

1st Infusion: This tea produces a clear yellow hue. There is a rich thick aroma to it, and it packs a flavor to match. The flavor is bold and rich, with a crisp sharpness from the intensity. It has a very strong power to it and a long lasting aftertaste. The power is almost overwhelming yet not offputing like any other leaf would be.

2nd Infusion Parameters: 130F, 1 min, 2.5 oz

2nd Infusion: This time around it was slightly greener in hue, but the tea was crystal clear. The flavor was crisper. It seems to center around the core of the intense snap of the flavor. The aroma is fresh, light and calming. The flavor is light up front to start, but it escalates into an intense central flavor. The center is intense, but not as much as the first infusion. The edges of the flavor have lightened up a bit.

3rd Infusion Parameters: 130F, 1 min

3rd Infusion: This time the flavor was brighter yellow than before. It has some of the radiance of a shincha, but not quite as much as some of the more traditional senchas. The flavor is exhibiting the same light frontal flavor, and then jumps right back into that strong center again. It feels much cleaner and sharper this time around. There is a tiny bit of bitterness to heighten the sharpness of the flavor and a tinge of astringency on the back end. Still this tea is pushing the thoughts of richness and intensity to me.

4th Infusion Parameters: 160F, 1 min

4th Infusion: This time the flavor was more up front. The initial flavor is very crisp, it reminds me of an asamushi sencha like the Hosen from Ippodo. The color is becoming more and more radiant. The flavor is still very intense, but it is almost like a whole different tea this time around. This infusion surpasses regular sencha first and second infusions still. There is a light and clean well defined central flavor here.

5th Infusion Parameters: 160F, 1:30

5th Infusion: The color is slightly lighter at this point. The flavor is lightening up to match. It is still very crisp and well focused, and it interestingly is exhibiting a more bodied feel to it. It finishes with a light sense of astringency.

6th Infusion Parameters: 185F, 2:00

6th Infusion: At this point the tea has a light yellow hue. The flavor feels to have fully shifted to the front now. There is a little bit of biterness that is not from the intensity, it is a delicate yet bolder flavor that finishes with a light sense of astringency.

Used Leaf: Even the used leaf for this tea is gorgeous. The instructions suggest enjoying them as a salad. What I opted to do was after the 6th infusion I added them to some cold water for a 1L cold water infusion. Even after 6 infusions it provided a very unique iced tea. It had a light yet refreshing flavor that was almost reminiscent of a Long Jing in flavor.

Rating: 10/10

Conclusion: As with the last time I tried Temomi from Sugimoto, it was amazing. It has no real comparison within the regular offerings of any other vendor. The parallel to espresso with this tea works on many levels. It shares the same intensity. Neither are something you should drink in great quantities. It's something to be savored and enjoyed. The thought that this is a special occasion tea cannot be truer, it should be something to hearld the beginning of spring and kept in the moment. Unfortunately if you missed the boat on this one, you missed out. Until next year I guess.

Temomi Shincha

Sugimoto USA currently has preorders open for their shincha for this year. Somewhat different than a lot of other vendors, Sugimoto's shincha is only going to be available for preorder only. I.e. the item will not be carried in stock after the preorders are fulfilled. Being introduced to the US for the first time this year is their Temomi-cha (now referred to as Temomi Shincha). This tea was absolutely amazing when I had the opportunity to try it out last year. It is unlike any other sencha that I have tried. It's only available for preorder for the next few days though. After April 15th, preorders are closed and you'll have missed the boat.

I highly suggest you try some.

Hojicha

Tea: Hojicha
Vendor: Sugimoto USA
Price: $8.55 / 80g
Source: Shizuoka, Japan
Vendor Description:Hoji cha "Experience" consists of roasted young tea leaves and bud stems reaped in spring. During winter, tea plants absorb abundant nutrition from rich mountain soil, so spring shoots have deep body and flavor. Roated stems bring rich sweetness and nice aroma in a cup. Experience the difference.

Leaf: The leaf for this tea was a varied mix of objects. It was a bit more varied than most hojichas that I have seen. There were small balls of leaf, small pieces of leaf, and stems. The color of the leaf varied from a green-brown color to a dark roasted brown.

1st Infusion: The tea was a rich brown hojicha. It possessed a sharp roasted flavor to it. There was no astringency to it, and it had a very smooth aftertaste. The flavor was very characteristic of a hojicha. Characteristic to the point of being representative of the flavor.

2nd Infusion: This infusion had the same smooth roasted flavor.

Rating: 9/10

Conclusion: I always find it difficult to compare hojicha. The flavor does not vary in the same way that sencha does. With a hojicha it tends to be more a question of how refined the flavor is. When you taste this tea however you get the feeling that this is what a hojicha is supposed to be. Others that I have tried alluded to the flavor, but this defines it. It would be the tea to point to if someone was wondering what hojicha tastes like.

Temomi-cha

Tea: Temomi-cha
Vendor: Sugimoto USA (Hopefully)
Source: Japan

About this tea: Kyohei Sugimoto from Sugimoto USA was kind enough to send me a sample of this very special tea. Temomi cha is hand kneaded tea. From the needles to the used leaf, it is incredibly apparent the amount of effort and care that is put into this tea. When sencha was originally created this is the technique that was originally used. Before the conveyor belts for steaming and all that jazz. This temomi-cha was actually made by hand, by Kyohei's mother, Kazue Sugimoto. Since 1995 she has studied about the Temomi technique and strives to preserve the technique for future generations. She has even presented her Temomi cha to the Japanese Imperial Palace in 1997 and won 3rd place in a national Temomi contest in 2006. Now she is a licensed instructor teaching future generations about this technique.

Leaf: The leaf for this tea is gorgeous. Each leaf is rolled into a thin long narrow needle. There are no broken leaves, no dust, just long graceful needles. The leaf has an amazing aroma. The leaves have a deep sense of a sweet aroma. It reminds me almost of a sweet seaweed covered senbei that I used to eat as a child. The aroma on this leaf alone is enough to make this a memorable experience.

Brewing: The instructions provided with this tea were very different than any other tea that I have experienced. 10g of leaf are used per session. The first session is steeped for 2-3 minutes using only 2 ounces of water at 100F. Successive infusions are done for 1 minute at 130F.

1st Infusion: The tea had a very cool and relaxing aroma to it. The flavor was thick and rich like a gyokuro, but with a sharp tang of bitterness. The bitterness was no shallow and stinging like an oversteeped sencha, but rather a strength to a complex flavor. The tea was very full bodied and had a medium sense of astringency. With every sip came a different flavor, a different view on a different aspect of the profile. Every sip was rich and creamy almost. From the second the tea touched my tongue I knew this was unlike anything else. There was a sense of astringency, but it was paired with the thickness of flavor that almost covered the astringency.

2nd Infusion: This infusion had a radiant yellow color to it. The flavor was thinner and crisper than the first. In a word it would be described as bright and vibrant. The flavor was still deep and complex, but the flavor was more concentrated into a sharp richness. There was a noticeable tongue drying level of astringency, but it seemed to be only my tongue that would feel dry. Normally something that could make my tongue feel that way would cause my whole mouth to feel dry. In this case it was just my tongue. Unlike a gyokuro there were not strong feelings of grassiness to this tea. It was a completely different rich set of flavors.

3rd Infusion: This infusion had a much lighter flavor to it. The taste was very crisp and light. At the same time though there was still that thick aftertaste to it and the aftertaste was still thick.

Used Leaf: It was suggested that after the first few infusions that the leaves could even be eaten with a bit of soy sauce on them or salad dressing. I tried this, and the leaves reminded me of a spinach in flavor, just slightly chewier than boiled spinach. It was a very interesting flavor. And also after I had enjoyed the tea, I saw how well handled the leaves were. Having been harvested, processed, traveled around the world, steeped, and then viewed, they seem still a vibrant color of green, and very much intact with the edging of the leaf clearly the same as the day it was picked.

Rating: 10/10

Conclusion: This was a tea experience unlike any that I have tried before. When I first tried gyokuro the proper way I thought that it had just opened my eyes to something unimaginable. The same could be said for a delicious bowl of matcha. This takes the cake above both of those. The depth and complexity of the flavor is amazing. Unfortunately though Kyohei is unable to offer this amazing tea for sale yet, but they are planning to start offering it in 2009. I know that I for one am waiting for the day that this tea is available for sale. This is in no way though a tea that you would enjoy on a regular basis, it is definitely a very special occasion tea that is intended to be savored and enjoyed. Drinking this tea is very much akin to enjoying a rich and strong flavored espresso. This really is like drinking tea history. You will probably notice that I gave this tea a rating of 10+ / 10. Since it wouldn't really be fair to say anything above 10/10 to the rating scale, I came up with a 10+. This is beyond anything else that I have ranked as a 10.

Genmaicha

Tea: Genmai cha
Vendor: Sugimoto USA
Price: $12.50 / 80g.
Source: Shizuoka, Japan
Vendor Description: Genmai cha radiates inviting taste perfection that delights and warms your senses. Developed about 70 years ago, Genmai cha is quite famous for its unique roasted flavor. Its distinctive smooth and mild flavor come from a harmonious blend of young tea leaves, roasted brown rice, and powdered tea leaves called Matcha.

Enjoy this gourmet green tea with a balanced flavor of green tea leaves and brown rice. Our Genmai cha flavor is never dominated by the roasted rice. The subtle touch of Matcha (the ground tea leaves traditionally used for formal tea ceremonies)bestows a natural sweetness, as well as a satisfying sheer green color to your brewed tea. We use only the finest Matcha grown by an artisanal tea company with a 70-year history.

About this tea: Hearing about this tea was the what caused me to first take a look at Sa for teas. This particular tea won 1st place at the world tea expo for the best blended/flavored green tea.

Leaf: This tea had a higher non-leaf:leaf ratio than many genmaicha teas that I have had in the past. There was quite a bit of rice, and the leaf had a coating of matcha mixed in with it. At first glance the tea did not seem like it would be anything particularly different from any other genmaicha teas.

1st Infusion: The tea had a very murky green color, primarily due to the matcha component. The shade of green was a very vibrant and brilliant color, not dark and murky like some matcha coated teas are. The flavor was very fresh and crisp. The rice popped into mind with a sweet flavor like senbei (Japanese rice crackers). There was a light sense of astringency, to tail off on the mild and smooth flavor of this tea.

2nd Infusion: Having washed off the majority of the matcha powder, the tea took on a lighter and clearer color. It was still mostly green in color. The infusion did not taste quite as sweet and flavorful as the first infusion, the matcha component having been removed in the first infusion. There was a light bitterness to the flavor to leave it acting more like a sencha.

Rating: 10/10

Conclusion: So far this has been the best genmaicha that I have had to date. The flavor was very well defined and really brought out the sweetness of the toasted rice. It did not simply show that facet of the flavor, but still balanced with the flavor of the tea and the richness of the matcha. I can see why this tea won first place at the world tea expo for it's category.

Sencha

Tea: Sencha
Vendor: Sugimoto USA
Price: $16.00 / 80 g.
Source: Shizuoka, Japan
Vendor Description: Sen cha "Experience" mainly consists of young baby leaves reaped in spring. During winter,tea plants absorb abundant nutrition from rich mountain soil, so spring shoots have deep body and flavor in a cup. Experience the strong sweetness and rich flavor.

Leaf: The leaf has a very matte color to it, and consists of primarily small pieces. I found this rather surprising considering most teas I find that I enjoy have larger pieces and a shinier glossy appearance to it. The leaf consists of a very apparently blend of different shades of green though. It was apparent that lots of work and effort had gone into making this blend.

1st Infusion: The first infusion had a slightly murky color to a yellow green color to it. The flavor was amazingly strong and sweet. It was like a very impressive yutaka midori. There was a very light bitterness to the flavor which was a nice counterpoint to the sweetness, but not overpowering. Similarly there was a very light astringency to the tea as well, a nice counterpoint to the sweetness as well. This tea has a very good clean feeling to it.

2nd Infusion: This infusion had an even darker color to it, it as almost a murky dark brown-green color. This time it had a medium sense of bitterness, but yet retained the strong sweetness of the first infusion.

Rating: 10/10

Conslusion: I was rather curious about the teas from Sugimoto after I had heard that their genmaicha had won the best flavored/blended tea category at the World Tea Expo this year. I had never heard of them previously and so I looked them up. Much to my surprise they have an offering of only 3 teas. This Sencha was the first that I tried, and it is absolutely superb. I have also tried this tea as a cold brewed iced tea, and the sweetness was amazing in that as well. I really enjoyed this one.