Tea: Midori Sencha

Grower: The Kinezuka Family

Origin: Nakayama Village in Fujieda: Shizuoka, Japan

Cultivation: Natural (Organic, but no certification)

Harvest Date: May 2014

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The most balanced of the 2014 shincha collection. This one is produced by the Kinezuka Family, headed by Toshiaki Kinezuka. They have been growing all-natural tea for 30 years in Fujieda, Shizuoka. This is their highest grade of shincha, produced with hand-picked leaves at the very beginning of the shincha season.

The profile is a perfect balance between the characteristic Japanese tea traits: savory umami, and marine seaweed flavors. Round, full texture and light but pleasant aroma, with a soft sweet aftertaste.

Grown at an altitude of 350m (1150ft), with the Yabukita cultivar. Lightly steamed.

Shincha, literally "new tea", is the first flush of green tea in Japan, and is the prized first spring harvest. After a long winter of hibernation, the tea plants have stocked up lots of nutrients. In the spring, their first growth of leaves is vibrant, energetic, and full of flavor. Because of the limited quantity and freshness of shincha, the tea is sought-after and usually available only in the spring.

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Recommended Brewing Instructions: Use 1tsp (~2g) of leaves per 4oz (250ml) of water.
Brew for 1-2 minutes.

- 140F for a soft, sweet, and savory profile with seaweed undertones.

- 160F for a balance of sweet, savory, and marine flavors on a rounded texture.

- 175F for fuller flavors with a more pronounced range of textures and notes.

This tea can be rebrewed up to 4 times, with hotter water and longer infusions.