Because we only sell sencha as our first-flush“shincha,” it's quality is mostly similar to that of sencha. The higher the price, the younger and fresher the flavour because it means that the leaves used are smaller and younger sprouts. When brewing high quality shincha, you may find downy-hair-like substances floating on the surface of the tea. These are “moji,” or small hairs, which grow only on the most soft and youngest tea sprouts. Moji may look like dust on the surface of your tea, but actually, it is the evidence of extremely high quality tea.
What is Shincha?
Shincha (new tea) refers to the tea harvested in spring (= ichiban-cha or first-flush; in Uji, harvesting starts in early May). Of course, there are varieties of Shincha such as tencha, gyokuro and kabusecha, but we only sell first-flush sencha as “shincha.” The biggest charm of our shincha is it's young and fresh aroma. It is only available during a limited period and the aroma of shincha allows us to enjoy the briskness of spring and early summer. Being a young tea, it falls behind in ripeness compared to sencha in terms of deepness and aroma, but it allows us to enjoy the vivid power of tender green.
Quality Differences
sweetness
Subtle sweetness lingers in the aftertaste.
Hardly perceptible because shincha is insufficiently matured by nature.
umami
Subtle deliciousness (umami) lingers in the aftertaste.
As with the sweetness, it is hardly perceptible because the shincha is not yet sufficiently matured.
bitter and astringent
There is no harshness. The astringency is subtle. It's bitterness is highly elegant, pleasant, refreshing and clear.
Harsh and piercing like sour persimmons. Tea may give a sharp impression with some stimulation.
aroma
The tea renders a vivid strong aroma of tender green as if it were carrying actual tea sprouts inside. The aftertaste remains for a while and has a raised aroma.
Only the fragrance of sencha can be sensed without the aroma of tender green. The aroma does not last, nor remains in the depth of the nose.
colour
Beautiful. The leaves are shiny, glossy and so smooth on the surface that they would slip from the palm of your hand if picked up. The used tea leaves are slimy and very tiny.
Uneven in thickness and size. The leaves are dry and lack in gloss on the surface.
liquor colour
A pale golden yellow with a slight green tint. Although the colour is pale, it is very clear and bright green, expressing a strong presence.
Dense golden yellow. Lacks in brightness and transparency.
How to Make Good Cups of Tea (for two)
Shincha is the type of tea of which you better enjoy the aroma rather than the taste. The aromas are easily drawn out with hot water at higher temperatures, but at the same time, bitterness and astringency may also be brought out. Best is to serve the tea quickly to adjust the balance.
Recommended Way To Taste
how to store
Here are some tips to keep your tea fresh and enjoy it tastily.