[Try it!] Sencha Fukamushi Super Premium (40g/1.41oz) Reviews

Author	Karen Kletter (United States)
Review	This tea, which is part of my second Hibiki-an order, is both interesting and exquisite. I'll try to elaborate. My first infusion was for the recommended 40 seconds (which for me means letting it brew for 10 seconds since it takes me about 30 seconds to decant what's in the pot). The color was pale and the flavor was delicate, sweet, and completely lacking in bitterness. The flavors had a certain gentle, milky quality and I was able to detect both vegetal and fruity notes; in fact, the aftertaste reminded me very much of green apples without the tartness. I've never tasted anything quite like it. I added an extra 5 seconds to the second infusion. This one was much more robust in both color and flavor (almost as though the first brewing had "opened up" the leaves) and had an almost grassy quality that was...well, extremely GREEN. It was also a bit bitter; my water temperature was the same (80C(176F)) and I'm quite sure I got every available drop out of the first infusion. I do take into account, however, that this IS sencha and not gyokuro, so I'm guessing that some bitterness is to be expected. For the third infusion, I returned to 30 seconds and dropped the water temperature to 75C(167F). It was very mild, not bitter, and lacked the fruitiness that was evident in the first infusion. It did, however, retain that wonderful greenness that was so evident in my second infusion, but it was plant-like rather than grassy. It's rather wonderful that each infusion yielded brews that were completely different from each other; what's especially interesting, though, is that none seemed thinner than its predecessor--all were vivid and sparkling. I highly recommend Sencha Fukamushi Super Premium; Mr. Yasui's descriptions are spot-on and the service is impeccable. I consider myself blessed to have found this source for Japanese green tea. Be sure, if you're new Japanese "greens," to invest in a kyusu for best brewing results--take it from someone who recently learned better!
Rating	Very bad... Bad... Very bad... Ordinary... Good... 5 of 5 Stars!
Date	May 15, 2007

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