Shade-grown sencha which gifts us with the perfect interplay between umami broth, bright vegetation and sweet fruits. The complete, top-notch sencha experience.
Hailing from the southern tip of Japan, this tea was grown near the coast in Kanoya. This part of Japan tends to prodcue 'gentler' teas with more porridgy warmth and a distinct, sea-side brightness than other regions.
Combine these characteristics with the sweet Saemidori cultivar - a cross between the bright and verdant Yabukita and the brothy and savoury Asatsuyu and you can start to piece together the underlying character of the tea - warm, porridgy and brothy on one hand yet bright, sweet and lively on the other.
This sencha is a Chumushi Kabusecha meaning that it has been shade-grown (by covering the bushes for weeks before picking) and has been steamed a medium length of time. All of this further brings out the smoothness and a depth of richness in taste and effects.
What is surprising though is how all of these elements conspire to bring out MELONS! I get so many melon tasting notes from honeydew to green to watermelon and cucumber (it is kind of a melon).
Drinking this Kabusecha is reminiscent of a vibrant medley of sweet, fresh melons and strawberries made into a savoury salad with a sprinkling of salt and arugula - all enjoyed next to a barley porridge by the sea.
The body sensation is first class too. I find myself reaching for Melon Kabusecha a lot to bring me to a state of calm contemplation.
