Sencha Yuzu

Ohhhhhh YuzuCha… I needed a Japanese Green. This was the right choice.

I hate to admit it, but I had no idea “yuzu” existed before I experienced this tea. But now I’d really like to see one for myself! I hate having an ingredient in something, that I am unable to acquire and try on it’s own, for the sake of flavour comparison.

Anyways… the tea is lovely. A glorious sencha, and the yuzu adds a flavour that’s… citrusy? I’m not sure citrusy is the right description. It adds a very pleasant sweet yet tangy note to the yummy vegetal profile natural to this sencha.

I enjoy it on it’s own but… it would be WONDERFUL PAIRED WITH A BAKED FISH methinks! :)

So, it took me a few cups to decide, but I’m really kind of digging this tea.

For some reason they don’t really explain on the website, but this is a Ryokucha, which apparently means it is blended with machta powder in addition to green tea leaves. This makes the tea a bit stronger and, um, green-er, preventing the citrusy yuzu from completely overpowering everything else.

The only problem is the packet is rather small (50g) and so the recommended preparation instructions (1 Tbsp tea / cup) mean that I’m almost running out already!

Oh this is interesting – very mild, very well blended. Brewed exactly according to Rishi’s instructions, the sencha is barely noticeable, but the Yuzu (a citrus fruit I’d never tasted before) isn’t overpowering, either. I’m not quite sure how that works. I’m going to wait a little while to try to rate this numerically.

It’s a very light citrus flavor, and very authentic. Like smelling just the outside of a fresh orange, or what I imagine a citrus orchard would taste like. I’m not getting roses or gardenia’s (as they suggest) but there is something floral there.

It is a little bitter, on the first steep, but it’s citrus-rind-bitter not oversteeped-green-bitter. I like the second steep better, I think. I can taste more of the sencha and matcha, though the yuzu is still very much present.

This is very refreshing, between the citrus and the matcha caffeine kick; it might be good iced, though I think I’d be tempted to sweeten it.

_{1 heaping tsp, 4oz water, 2nd steep 1 minute}

I want to thank LiberTEAS for sending me this sample too. I’ve only had one cup and I have to say this was not a favorite. Don’t get me wrong I enjoyed it, but maybe I need to give it another shot (when home and NOT at work). I could really taste the matcha in this particular tea and I am a fan of the matcha. I just wasn’t getting much else as others had mentioned. So I will try it again – won’t rate until I do.

http://sororiteasisters.com/2010/10/01/sencha-yuzu-green-tea-from-rishi-tea/
Read all about it here!!!!!!

Thank you TeaEqualsBliss for sending me a generous portion of this tea. It is so good. So very yummy!

The yuzu is sweet and bright. The sencha and matcha makes for a sweet, almost creamy tasting base that is perfect for the yuzu fruit. This is something I think I could enjoy regularly without growing weary of it. So delicious!

The tea leave have a very vegetal odor to them. Very intense. Like opening a package of very fresh mixed green vegetables. There is a faint citrus odor, but the green tea is definitely the star here.

Brewed the tea is very much a green tea. There is the faintest hint of yuzu. The yuzu flavor is just not strong enough for my tastes. I’ll definitely drink the packet that I have, but I’ll be ordering more of the Lupicia Yuzu. It’s YUZU with sencha where this is RYOCHUCHA with yuzu. I just want more yuzu flavor.

Yuzu: rare outside Asia, citrusy, and in combination with sencha? I’m intrigued enough to buy a few ounces from Rishi and give this tea and yuzu a shot.

To start, the dry leaf scent is attention grabbing. It has a strong, spicy citrus smell. It’s an interesting spiciness that accompanies the citrus. The spiciness is peppery in nature and somewhat ginger-like. The wet leaf scent is a total 180. The wet is a toasty, slightly nutty green with a few citrus notes lingering. The liquor aroma combines the wet and dry for a toasty, mild-citrus blend. This tea brews to a somewhat cloudy, pale-green color.

My first reaction to sipping: refreshing! This is a very friendly combination. Surprisingly friendly. It has a tropical-feel. Hello summer. The yuzu is in excellent balance with the sencha. I can best describe the yuzu as lying somewhere between a sweet lemon and an orange. On continual sips, the yuzu taste even reminds me a bit of pineapple. Along with the yuzu, the sencha is very good and of high quality. The sencha is quite airy with a mild toastiness. There are some floral notes lying beneath the yuzu and sencha, but they are subtle and subdued. This tea is light-hearted. Fresh. Fun.

I have to say, after smelling the dry leaf, I was a little nervous. But having now gone through a pot, I can say this is quite enjoyable. I look forward to trying this tea iced when the warmer weather rolls around. This is one of the more interesting green tea blends. Yuzu yum!

A refreshing green with a distinct citrus flavor that is quite unique. A delightful cup despite my wife insisting it smells/tastes like oregano… It kinda does.

Completely deserving of accolade, this tea has substantial depth . . . really just a delicious, perfectly constructed green tea that is brothy, full bodied and generously graced with pieces of yuzu.

What we have is a concoction that must be tasted to be believed.

Reminds me of a tropical vacation. Today I was in the mood for Japanese teas and this hit the spot. I would love this with Sushi!

Very smooth, tastes a little bit like pineapple.