近江新茶さえあかり

Da******, 2023-01-16 12:35 JST, アメリカ合衆国

Was given a free sample, liked it a lot and bought a kilo. It's not as good as the Sencha Seiga from 2021 (maybe nothing is), but it's better than the Sencha Seiga from 2022. That was my previous favorite. The 500g that I stored in the freezer kept well. Has a good vacuum seal with very little air and smells very fresh. I brew it at the hotter end of the instructions, up to 3 times, but the 2nd is the best. Towards the end of the bag, you get finer pieces of tea which make a darker, richer brew that is really enjoyable. Using water above 80C will ruin this one, so make sure you can control the temperature.

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Ma******, 2022-05-09 04:02 JST, アメリカ合衆国

Ohmi Sencha Saeakari - one of the best tasting Sencha's  purchased from Sazen. The tea has a brighter than usual flavor compared to some of the Senchas like Shuppin Sencha Hana Jirushi or the Chiran Tokujō Fukamushicha or Asamiya Yabukita. Considering that the Ohmi Sencha grows at 300 meters compared to the latter tea that thrives at 500 meters, it has a definitely unique characteristic of scent and flavor for a tea that grows at a lower elevation. The initial tea soup is a lovely bright chartreuse with a light yellow tint and the dry leaves in a warmed teapot releases a very bright aroma with hints of sweetness of freshly hulled rice. The aroma is completely absorbed into the brew, I noticed only very mild hints of the scent after the pour. The soup when brewed at second and third time still retains its color, clarity and sparkle. The tea leaves unfurl in stages with the first, second and third brew yielding its flavors gradually with each subsequent brew. The second photo (right) shows the leaves after the first brew and the left photo shows the leaves after the second brew. Left photo is of 1st brew (in left teacup) and 2nd brew (in right teacup). The brew tastes remarkably different when it is warm versus cold. The tea has a sweetness on its first round brewed at the prescribed 5 grams weight, temperature of 70 deg Celcius for 60 seconds. I also made the tea with 6 grams and the flavor is more notable and robust. Caffeine rise is slow and smooth, clears the mind and calms the thoughts. I prefer the sweetness and flavor of the tea at 6 grams as it retains itself with the second and third brews albeit a little less notable. Astringency is more marked at 5 grams than at 6 grams but palatable and smooth. Also, I observed a mild bitterness at 5 grams when the tea is tepid. At 6 grams, a tepid or cold brew, the bitterness is balanced beautifully by the sweet hints of the tea. It is not a tea that has a remarkable green scent or chlorophyll like some senchas, which to me is the most unique aspect of the Ohmi Sencha. The only time I observed a green scent was when the leaves after the third brew cooled to room temperature had a hint, very mild, of fresh baby spinach.  I did not reheat the initial water used to brew the second and third time - the tea is very smooth and the overall flavors of sweetness, astringency and bitterness gave a smooth, soothing and mild finish. The leaves after the third brew when cooled to room temperature had a hint, very mild, of fresh baby spinach. Very well worth the try and looking forward to the 2022 harvest of this tea.  Sazen's service, packaging and shipping as per usual is top rate. Thank you.

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