,Nanadan Asamushi Okumidori Sencha is one of those teas you need to try before you die. Seriously. If you love Japanese teas, or you think that all sencha teas are the same, you need to try this Japanese gem.

Name: Nanadan Asamushi Okumidori Sencha
Tea Vendor: Yunomi.life
Type: Japanese green tea

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Nanadan Asamushi Okumidori Sencha has a very interesting profile and a unique story behind its name. Word Asamushi in the name stands for a lightly steamed tea. Asamushi sencha is lighter than other types of senchas and has fuller leaves. Okumidori is the name of the tea cultivar. And, Nanadan is the name of a character from Yasunari Kawabata’s book The Master of Go. You can read more on the story behind the name of this tea on Yunomi’s site.

Nanadan Asamushi Okumidori Sencha

Nanadan Asamushi Okumidori Sencha – Tea with an Interesting Concept

This tea was harvested in Kagoshima and processed in Uji – the cradle of gyokuro and matcha. What makes it special is the shading part – leaves have been shaded for a couple of days prior to harvesting. Not long enough for “kabusecha“, but enough to get the very unique scent and flavor. This tea is a true little miracle among Japanese teas. It is definitely a step further from the ordinary sencha. So, the concept is very interesting, and the flavor?

Nanadan Asamushi Okumidori Sencha

Leaves are very beautiful – needle-shaped, uniformed dark green and small. Color is beautiful, and it literally glows. I wanted to look at them for hours. The scent is wonderful, deep, sweet and special. In the heated teapot they reveal their special character. There is a dash of umami, specific for shaded teas and a lot of unique sweet freshness. Price is $25 for 50 grams.

Nanadan Asamushi Okumidori Sencha

Brewing Time

Nanadan Asamushi Okumidori SenchaBrewing: 3 grams, 50 degrees Celsius, 60 ml, 3 minutes, 75 degrees, 150 ml, 20, 60 seconds

You may have noticed how temperature for the first infusion is very low – same temperature you would use for a fine gyokuro. Even the amount of water is very low, in order to bring out the most of umami and sweetness. First steep gives an incredible, fluffy freshness in the leaves, with very deep warm umami emerging from the bottom, and incredible sweetness that rounds up the whole experience. Color is beautiful, very light yellowish-green, but very lively.

What I really like about this tea is that it has personalities of both sencha and gyokuro. Flavor is buttery, with the best characteristics of both shaded teas and fresh spring senchas. Leaves look like a freshly chopped boiled vegetables, intense green and perfect. The next steep gives more of sencha freshness, with lighter, but still very noticeable umami in the background. Third steep is the explosion of green freshness. This tea is very well-rounded, full, buttery, with beautiful texture and a lot of freshness.

Nanadam Asamushi Okumidori Sencha

Be careful to follow the brewing suggestion as you will ruin the leaves and won’t get to completely experience the flavor. Use more water and shorter steep time for the second and third infusions. Absolutely everything is wonderful in this tea. Nanadan Asamushi Okumidori Sencha is the perfect tea for experimenting, enjoying and learning about different Japanese senchas and teas in general.One of the best senchas I have ever tried.

Nanadam Asamushi Okumidori Sencha

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