A light green tea with umami-like vegetal notes.

vendor: yunnan sourcing

origin: yunnan, china

leaf appearance: short, slightly curled leaves

first infusion: 15 seconds

following infusions: +3 seconds

water temperature: 175°F | 80° C

liquor: light yellow

Leaf

The leaves are slightly curled, short, green buds. The aroma of the dry leaves smells like sweet matcha with hints of umami. After the first infusion, the warm leaves give out a stronger aroma of green vegetables and roasted seaweed. The leaves unravel to a bright green as the infusions continue.

Gaiwan

Liquor

The liquor was a pale yellow liquor with a light scent of vegetables - like blanched bok choy. That same flavor of vegetables continuous throughout the tasting with hints of umami lingers on the tongue long after the liquor is drunk. Bitterness and astringency is consistent in each infusion, the caffeine causing the mouth to feel puckered.

Reflection

I find green teas particularly difficult to brew. It’s so easy to burn with slightly-too-hot water and over-brew a few seconds too long.

I may have found myself in a situation where I used slightly too-hot water or steeped the tea for too long.

The liquor of the tea was buttery and full of vegetable and umami notes. The umami notes were enjoyable, giving the feel that I was drinking the tea in a grassy meadow. However, I found the bitterness in this tea too strong - and that may have been due to the way I brewed it.

I do have a tendency of enjoying more floral green teas rather than those that produce grassy, vegetable notes. So overall, this experience was fine. Nothing special jumped out of this tea journey.

Try again?

Not particularly, it’s a “meh” tea. I would have preferred a green tea journey with more floral notes.