Yame gyokuro 2020 from o cha

Vendor notes:

Growing Region
Yame
Year
2020
Harvest
First and/or Shincha
Breed
Yabukita
Shading
Full Shade (Gyokuro / Matcha)
Steaming
Light
Color
Green
Aroma
Medium
Taste
Sweet
Astringency
Mild
Clarity
Clear

Review:

After a several days of awful winter storm water, decided to test a local spring water with a budget gyokuro from o cha: yame gyokuro.

Brewed like this: 5.5 g/ 65 mL in carbonized reduction mumyoi

13 min room temp
150s 50 C
180s 50 C
150s 70C
150s 75C
150s 80C
150s 90C
Ate the leaves with rice, avocado and bagel spices and a bit of yuzu sauce

Early steeps tasted of smooth dark chocolate. As I increased temperature, there was more fresh grassiness and sweetness. Best infusions were #3 and 4. Leaves had a nice nutty flavor.

Ultimately, I preferred brewing in this way,

40 mL with 5.5 g

90s 40C

60s 45C

90s 50C

120s 55c

120s 65c

120s 75c

60s 90c

Eat leaves

The umami in the first infusion is exceptionally rich resembling fine sesame oil and bone broth. Higher temperature infusions carry dark chocolate notes.

Comments

Hojo's da xue shan 2019 mao cha (wild tea)

Opening the bag, I was greeted with a thick fruity aroma like grape juice and ripe melons! Brewed 3.5 grams in my 110 mL late 70s hqsn. Flash brewing of course. Wow is this green tea or sheng? Very juicy fruity flavors like white grape juice and some honey. Is this really young sheng? Where is the bitterness??? Where? Can't find it in this tea. There is the slightest throat prickle of astringency...or was that from drinking the tea while it was too hot? Felt very energized after drinking - 3.5g is more than enough! Could actually drink this on a daily basis! Update : after a few sessions, it is clear the tea "changes" quickly once exposed to air, shedding its fresh fruity aromas and gaining more oolong like characteristics. 3.5 g per session quickly becomes too flat - and I find myself progressively using more leaf. On the plus side, the tea gains body and properties that remind me of good gaoshan. The aftertaste is exceptionally robust and comes back in strong waves. V...

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Temi 383 "black rose" second flush darjeeling style tea from TWL

Vendor: We asked a champion of less well-known cultivars, Mr. Nalin Modha, for this exceptional example of the Tukdah 383 cultivar, which he processed at peak second flush in June 2020 at Temi estate in Sikkim, India. This tea, from an east-facing garden at 1300m, has thick leaves and midribs, and is very well processed, with relatively intact material for the Darjeeling style. Review: Brewed 2-2.5g/100 mL, 90-95C 60s Alternatively, 4 g/ 100 mL 30s Grape must, old barrels filled with port wine, strong rose aromas. Gets sweeter as i brew harder. An unbelievable tea.

Tea

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