May we introduce: Our Sencha N°1

In the first post of our blog series, we introduce you to our Sencha N°1 green tea and show you our recommendation for preparing this intense green tea. In this blog series, we will give you a detailed description of the teas in our entire range. In addition, we tell you everything about appearance, smell and taste & go into dosage, temperature and brewing time. Let's go.

Background

Sencha N°1 is a classic Sencha green tea that comes from a single tea farmer from Kobayashi on the southern Japanese island of Miyazaki. Takayuki-san does not use any pesticides, herbicides or chemical fertilizers. The green tea comes from the popular cultivar Yabukita, grows in full sunlight, and is briefly steamed (asamushi) after harvest.

First impression

The tea has a dark green leaf and uniform grading. The fine needles are formed when rolling the tea leaf and are typical of Japanese green tea. Dry, it smells very intensely of fruits, such as mango or passion fruit, with a very light fresh-grassy note. The typical masculine scent is not strongly pronounced in this Sencha.

Dosage & Preparation

For the infusion we use 2 heaped teaspoons to a Japanese Kyusu teapot (about 350-400ml). If you like it a little stronger, you can also use 3-4 teaspoons on 400ml. The water temperature is optimal for our taste at 75-80°C. After 60 seconds of infusion, the tea already has the desired aroma.
Regarding the right temperature: If you have a temperature indicator on your kettle, it's easy. Otherwise, half a liter of boiled water should have the right temperature after about 10 minutes of cooling with the lid open. Alternatively, you can also pour the water several times. The water loses about 10°C each time it is poured into a cold container.

First infusion

The first infusion has a Sencha-typical green-yellowish-bright color. It has a mild odor. The fruity aroma can be perceived well. In addition, there is a hearty, umami-like scent.
The taste is pleasantly dense on the tongue, seems creamy and also fresh. The tea has umami - but the fruity aroma becomes stronger in the aftertaste from sip to sip, so that one has emptied the teapot very quickly. It is a very drinkable green tea with an intense, full flavor.

More infusions

On the left the second and on the right the third infusion. In terms of color, you can also see a clear change in the sencha.

Since the tea leaves from the first infusion have opened, we let the second and also third infusion only for about 15 sec. pull. We leave the water temperature at 80°C.
The second infusion still has a slightly fruity aroma, but it becomes slightly more substantial. The umami now comes out more. The color is now slightly less green. The third infusion is the lightest in flavor, as expected. Fine notes of umami, fruit and also something slightly vegetable can be tasted. In terms of color, it is now a bright yellow with a small green tinge.

Final remarks

When preparing your Sencha, you can follow our recommendations or try for yourself what you like best. For example, if you start with a lower temperature and a shorter infusion time, up to five infusions would be possible. Each individual infusion would then also taste slightly different, as described here.
Want to give it a try? Then just take a look at the Sencha N°1 in our store.

How do you prefer to prepare your Sencha? What tips do you have in store? Let us know in the comments!