Nishi 1st Flush Sencha

This is the tea that turned to on to Japan. This shipment has really nice complexity and balance. It is a blend of a few primo varietals. Nice umami, nice color, nice chi. Mr. Nishi-san is one of my heros.

Lighter in body and sweeter than most senchas. My personal everyday favorite.

Had this tea sent out to me a few times now. I feel this one tasted better a few months back then it does now, but still rocks because Mr. Nishi-San made it!

2010 Shincha. Light grass notes. Not enough palate depth for my liking. I think it is good quality, but not really my style.

Price Paid: $12 US per 50g.
Buy Again: Probably not

I love this tea. Seriously, it’s my go to Japanese green tea when I’m looking for that “Special” cup of loose green. I sometimes have the daily “house” sencha from Ito, which is amazing, but this is a cup of complexity.

Love love love. A very quick first infusion at low temp creates a very vegetal, but extremely smooth cup. The second infusion is incredibly sweet with a nice depth of flavor. I wish the price point of this tea was lower so I could drink more of it.

I am a fan of Japanese green teas, and I will say that this makes a DAMN fine cup of tea! The Sencha of my dreams. Pricey, exclusive, this is a very well rounded first flush.

I brew this when water steams up, with light bubbles. Around 200ºF-180ºF. I would treat this as brewing a Gyokuro. As with finer Japanese greens it is a picky brew, so adjust. I brew this with a 16 ounce traditional prewarmed clay Kyusu. Porcelainware is okay,cast iron will overheat it. I set the clock at ascending one minute brews, you could brew at two minute ascending to yield a fuller body, but it is easier to mess up, and the second brew tends to taste harsh.

It yields a light green translucent cup, with a fresh oceanlike aroma. It has a more flavourful body than your normal Sencha, but still light in taste with vegetable complexity, and refreshing sweet finish. It’s leaf quality has high contrast between dark and light stems.

This is a nice finer than fine teas, if you appreciate Japanese greens. This is not for a beginner, many beginners will say Japanese greens taste like seaweed, cut grass, or over boiled spinach, but I do not consider it an acquired taste.