The writer Ludvík Kundera, in his book Drinking Tea writes of Sencha tea that “when there is more than enough bitterness, suddenly a spark of sweetness jumps out: gently casting doubt upon its classification”. The aforementioned bitterness, so strong as to be acute, is characteristic for this tea, and if the tea is correctly prepared will be congenially complemented with sparks of sweetness. Generally speaking this provides a very refreshing taste. More
The writer Ludvík Kundera, in his book Drinking Tea writes of Sencha tea that “when there is more than enough bitterness, suddenly a spark of sweetness jumps out: gently casting doubt upon its classification”. The aforementioned bitterness, so strong as to be acute, is characteristic for this tea, and if the tea is correctly prepared will be congenially complemented with sparks of sweetness. Generally speaking this provides a very refreshing taste. Japanese Sencha is without doubt one of the most popular Japanese teas. Its name can be translated as “roast tea”, despite the fact that the tea is not roasted in its processing.
For the majority of Japanese teas, in contrast with Chinese teas, natural oxidisation of the leaves is halted by brief scalding, after which the leaves are rolled, shaped and dried. In contrast with Gyokuro tea, Sencha is cultivated under direct sunlight and usually only the buds and top leaves are processed. Thanks to its exposure to direct sunlight a large quantity of catechin is produced in Sencha tea as protection against UV rays. Catechin is a type of tannin specific for green tea, which has a range of antiviral and anti-oxidant properties. It assists as prevention against cancer by suppressing the growth of cancer cells. Tannin is a type of polyphenol and is a key component of the taste of Sencha tea. Our Sencha originates from the Uji region in the south of the Kyoto province, and is from the Yabukita cultivar.
