Sencha Superior

Sencha is the most commonly consumed tea in Japan.

This superior grade Sencha is grown near Kyoto in the best tea growing region in Japan. The leaf is characterized by sweet, very fresh, clean taste. It has a grassy, seaweed, slightly salty taste. It is highly vegetal. It may not be the best green tea to jump into if you are new to tea, but if you have worked your way up with progressively higher grades of green tea, you will fully enjoy this mug. On a scale of 1 to 5, this would be a strong 4, assuming that a 5 would be reserved for the renowned Gyokuro and first-picked lots. Several grades of Sencha exist, and the superior grades rarely make it into the US, as they are primarily consumed within Japan. Most Sencha for sale in tea shops and bulk food sections would be a 1 or sometimes a 2 on a quality scale. This is a gourmet green tea that is top-shelf quality. The mouth-feel is buttery smooth, and there are floral and citrus notes to the aroma, even hints of pear and apple in the sweetness. It leaves a clean taste in your mouth. The leaves can be successfully steeped up to 3 times. A superior Sencha such as this typically retails for $60 to $100 a pound.

Using water over 175 degrees will cause the bitter tannins to be released, and essentially ruin this tea. To appreciate this tea, do not oversteep, and do not use too hot of water. In our tastings, we tend to use 155 degree water with this tea, as more flavor seems to come out at the lower temperatures.

Tasting Notes: Vegetal, Buttery, Grassy, Seaweed, Sweet, Pear, Salty

Steep: 1.5 tsp of tea for 8oz water. Water temperature: 170. Steep time 2-3 minutes. Sweetener: None

Approximately 28 tsp in a 1 ounce package.