Sencha Special Grade Yamato (TJ16)

Tastes like spinach veering into seaweed territory. More seaweed as it cools. It’s not bitter and I think it is of good quality – it’s just not my thing. (I don’t like sushi and don’t like seaweed at all!) I think this is going into the Traveling Teabox!!!!!! I think I may make some Earl Grey to get this taste out of my mouth!

I have taken to sampling green teas and I like this. I don’t think that green tea will ever be a favorite of mine, but I like to have it occasionally. I ordered some samplers from Upton Tea Imports—-they have earned my eternal gratitude by providing 15 g. samples for just a little bit of money. The tea is bright, vegetal, flavorful. It is not an exuberant green that tastes like rolling around in a spinach field or in a huge vat of freshly mown grass. It’s restraint is a virtue, however.

Curious, I looked up the meaning of Yamoto and the ever-reliable (:-)) Wikipedia informs me that: “The term was semantically extended to mean “Japan” or “Japanese” in general, and carries many of the same connotations as Americana does for the United States.”

While I think I like this tea better than the other reviewers, I also doubt that I will select it as a “go-to” green tea. I’m still seeking that one green tea that I will cherish above all others and want to keep in stock.

SECOND STEEP: The second steep was very well-behaved; was neither too weak nor too strong. It seemed to have blossomed a bit more towards a slight floral note. Very aromatic.

I grabbed a sample portion from the Traveling Tea Box only because I haven’t tried this specific kind before.

It’s not memorable…it does taste like dark leafy green spinach…I couldn’t drink it alone so I am pairing it with my lunch which happens to be Vegetarian Spinach Lasagna. It fits well and brings out the cheesy and sauce flavor of the Lasagna more – LOL – Honestly, I doubt I would try the Sencha Special Grade from Upton again…sorry…

But I am grateful to have tried it…rather than to never have tried it at all, I suppose. :)

Mmmm, sencha! I like this pretty well but I think I prefer the sencha from Den’s tea. I will have no problem finishing the sample of this I ordered though! :)

Smell is what I expect from a sencha, with buttery, seaweedy notes. Taste leans towards the buttery tasting side, with a pretty smooth, clean mouthfeel. This is one of the better senchas I have had thus far, but then again I’ve never really tried a Japanese green tea that I didn’t like. I wish I had some of my other favorite senchas on hand so I could do a direct comparison.

I’m on a green tea kick and this sencha hits the spot. Thanks Stephanie for this. Everything you’ve sent so far has been great.

This tea is very savory with a sweet finish. Not recommended for anyone who isn’t a serious green fan.

A rating of 1, really? maybe best not to give a numerical rating to teas you don’t like altogether, because it can skew the ratings for a tea, like this sencha which IS grassy and wonderfully evocative of the ocean environment it hails from. I’ve had many cups of this sencha and, for those who like this type of tea it is one you can really sink your teeth into. Keep the water below 190 and steep for 2.5 minutes max and you’ll avoid any bitterness.

I’m admittedly a fan of bold Japanese green teas. I like that uncompromising grassy taste that drives most others away. This Sencha in particular is able to announce it’s vegetal presence on the palate, linger long enough to let one ponder its’ nuance, and then depart with a clean aftertaste. I enjoy this tea at the workplace or for introspection.

Of course, if you don’t – like – your tea grassy and raw, then by all means stay away. Unarguably an acquired taste.

Meh

This sencha is ‘clean and green’ in flavor. I moistened it with cool water before steeping, as a buffer against my predictable lack of care in regard to water temp. I poured hot water and decanted after 30 seconds, yielding a pale green liquor which was only slightly bitter, with enough flavor to be worthwhile. I like spinach, which is fortunate when it comes to green tea. The resteep was also 30 sec, with almost no bitterness and more asparagus. Still, this is more exercise than enjoyment for me, as I continue my attempt to appreciate these fussy steepers. I kept wishing it were a white instead. I may never be big on greens, but this one has made it into my ‘okay’ category. It helps if I’m in a monkish, less self-indulgent mood and remind myself of it’s healthfulness.

I am a big fan of all green teas, including Japanese green teas, which I am always told taste like grass and are not very good. While there certainly is a very distinct spinachy, grassy taste to most japanese greens, I think the flavor is so much more complex than others give credit. This tea is very good and tasty.