A while ago I gave this a try in its teabag form- 50 teabags to one box, basically gave me 50 unsavoury, terrible tea experiences. However I’m hearing good things about the loose leaf version and I’m always willing to give teas another shot, so I caved and got the loose-leaf Sencha yesterday, thinking I could use this for breakfast.
Steeped to the pale gold colour the packet recommends (the leaves look… unimpressive, to say the least, like bancha rather than anything of a higher grade), it still has this foreboding, sharply tangy aroma to it. Part of this fresh citrus-y scent is what makes Japanese green teas so unique, of course, but too much of that gave me an entirely bitter experience last time I tried this tea. And onto the first sip…
Much better! Smoother, softer over the palate and nothing as astringent as how it smells or how the teabag tea tasted! I understand the main difference between this tea and the teabag version is the teabag version uses Sri Lankan tea leaf fannings, whereas this, as whole-leaf Japanese tea, is more delicate. I’d used about a level teaspoonful— I’d say the flavour, being so easily spoilt, is absolutely based on the quantity of tea used. In a teabag there’s simply too much to make one pleasant mugful…
As I’m getting through the cup the citrus astringency is slowly beginning to settle in, but not unpleasantly. It reminds me of drinking tea and eating maple-leaf dorayaki in the ryokan in Miyajima… definitely making me crave red bean paste, anyway. I had to take quite a bit of care with letting the boiled water cool before pouring it but I think I’ll make this part of my morning routine from now on. ♥
