Man, I’m starting to get behind on my tasting notes. I finished the last of this tea prior to going to work this morning, but had jotted down a tasting note like two weeks ago. My new goal is getting caught up on my tasting notes this weekend. It probably won’t happen, but wouldn’t it be nice?
Anyway, I brewed this tea using the two step Western infusion I have been favoring for most non-Japanese green teas lately. The brewing temperature was set at the merchant recommended 180 F. The steep times were 2 and 3 minutes per infusion.
First Infusion: The infused liquor showed a delicate, slightly greenish yellow in the cup. I picked up very mild aromas of grass, hay, corn husk, and fruit. In the mouth, I picked up notes of grass, hay, straw, corn husk, lettuce, fresh bamboo shoots, lychee, lemon, and yellow plum. I also noticed a subtle astringency and minerality on the finish.
Second Infusion: The infused liquor was slightly paler in color with less of a greenish hue. The nose was again very mild. I picked up on fleeting sensations of fruit and flowers, as well as a slight vegetal aroma. In the mouth, I noticed that the notes of lemon, lychee, and yellow plum were joined by nondescript floral notes. The notes of bamboo, straw, and minerals were more pronounced, while the notes of corn husk, grass, hay, and lettuce receded into the background. The finish was mineral-laden, vaguely floral, and somewhat fruity, at least at the start, though I again picked up a slight astringency.
Overall, I would not say that this is a bad green tea, but I definitely would not say that it is great either. It is just kind of pleasantly bland in the sense that it is easy to drink yet no one characteristic clearly stands apart from the others. Again, for what it is, it’s not bad. I would recommend it to people looking for a mild green tea that doesn’t require much analysis.
Flavors: Bamboo, Corn Husk, Floral, Grass, Hay, Lemon, Lettuce, Lychee, Mineral, Plum, Straw
