Nishi Sencha 1st Flush
Origin: Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan
Flavor Profile: Refreshing and balanced with a pleasing bitter-sweetness, this first flush sencha perfectly reflects the early-spring weather that produced it. It’s a classic Japanese green tea with the greenish-golden infusion and delicate grassiness that epitomize asamushi teas and the briskness and high L-theanine levels that characterize first flush senchas. Compare this invigorating, lively light-steamed sencha to our thicker, richer deep steamed Lobocha Sencha.
Tea Story: This incredible asamushi sencha is produced for Samovar by Japan’s most famed organic tea grower and his number one tea blender. In the high elevations of the Kashogima Prefecture in Southern Japan, organic tea pioneer Nishi-san and his family grow the three types of tea plants that are blended to create our asamushi shincha (first flush sencha) in a Japan Agriculture Standard and USDA certified organic tea garden.
These tea plants offer a particularly vivid green dry-leaf color reminiscent of deeper-steamed senchas. However, unlike fukamushi (deep-steamed) and chumushi (medium-steamed) senchas, asamushi (traditional, light-steamed) sencha has distinctively long, shiny, needle-like leaves, and a brilliant golden infusion.
Samovarian Poetry: Classic. Balanced. Brisk. Organic. This truly is a purist’s requisite Japanese green tea.
Food Pairing: Nishi 1st Flush Asamushi makes an exceptional aperitif, but it also pairs well. If you prefer Japanese food with your green tea, dine on steamed rice and baked fish, vegetable gyoza or soba with broth. For a cross-cultural pairing, savor it with buttered, crusty wheat toast, steamed chicken or flan.
