· Tea reviews · 2 minutes
Matcha Iri Sencha 2023 - Yuuki-Cha
It smells more like gyokuro, very sweet with umami notes. Since it's a fukamushicha, the leaves are quite fine and entirely coated with matcha.
Origin: Kagoshima, Japan
Cultivar: blend
Steaming: fukamushicha (deep-steamed)
Price: 1500 JPY/ 100g
Despite my best efforts to make the most repeatable infusions, I chose a flat kyusu for brewing for two reasons — the leaves look nice in it, and it allows water to drain out faster after brewing — though a regular strainer would work similarly.
First infusion slightly longer — 40 seconds, 3.5g per 100 ml
The tea is extremely green — exactly as in the photo. Intense in flavor, very full-bodied — there aren’t any specific fruity or floral notes, but there’s a strong refreshing umami greenness and a lingering sweetness.
Second infusion, short at 20 seconds — it’s no longer as green, but still holds up well. The taste becomes more balanced compared to the intensity of the first infusion, but remains similar.
Third infusion — 60 seconds. The matcha is probably gone by now, but the sweetness and freshness remain. You can still get about 2 more infusions that will be fairly pleasant, though watery compared to the first three.
This is a very pleasant, easy-to-appreciate, and not overly expensive tea suitable for both a quick morning brew and slow sipping. The addition of matcha beautifully highlights the qualities of fukamushicha.
Rating: 9/10
