Friday, May 22, 2009

2009 Takumi Shincha

Class: Green
Origin: Yame prefecture, Japan
Year: 2009
Vendor: Zencha.net (Product page)
Price: $31.00 (100g)

Takumi liquor
This sencha has a lovely color. It's not quite as green as O-Cha's Yukata Midori, but what is?

I've been enjoying this shincha (wondering what "shincha" is?) for a couple weeks now. Mmmm. It has been a long time since I've had any Japanese greens, but this tea fills my springtime sencha craving nicely.

It's a lot like O-Cha's Miyabi, if I remember it right. It is just a little grassy the way I brew, though you can pretty much eliminate it with cooler brewing if that doesn't sound appealing.

Takumi leaf
There are some long leaves with a good helping of small bits, so I would guess that this tea is chumushi (mid-steamed).

There is also a sweet depth to this tea, more like O-Cha's Yukata Midori than Miyabi (Yes, I know, I always refer back to these two teas. I don't drink a whole lot of different sencha, okay?). Takumi sencha is made from the Gokoh/Gokou tea varietal, which is normally used in gyokuro production, so this may explain the tea's uncommonly "round" and sweet flavor. Whatever the reason, mmm. Expensive, yes, but oh so worth it.

[I know, sencha reviews are boring and not very helpful. To be honest, I mostly wrote this so I don't have to stare at MacGyver's mug while I continue to procrastinate on the next teaware guide. To push that mullet even further down the page here are two photos of Bryce Canyon, from my recent drive through the American Southwest.]

Tree at Bryce
A tree just off the Navajo Loop trail, with some classic Bryce Canyon hoodoos in the background.

Bryce Canyon
One of the many gorgeous vistas along the canyon rim. (Both photos taken on Fomapan 100 @ EI 80, developed in Rodinal 1:50.)

4 comments:

Bamboo Forest said...

That tea looks delicious. Love the cup. I think... think... I've had it. Not this year though.

Brent said...

Ryan,

It is good. Really packs a punch too, compared to regular (dare I say, almost boring) fukamushi. :)

I had this a couple years ago, I think. I thought I wrote about it then but apparently not; still, I remember it being pretty similar to this year's.

Thanks for dropping by!

Brent

MarshalN said...

Hey, nice pictures! :)

I am going to go to Zion and then Grand Canyon in a month or so. Any tips?

Brent said...

Thanks MarshalN. :)

I haven't been to either of those parks yet, so I can't help you with any specifics. I guess I'd say drink a lot of water though, the altitude and heat can dehydrate you very quickly if you aren't used to it.

Have fun! I need to plan another trip, there is so much to see out there.

Brent

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