Review: Obubu’s Sencha of the Summer Sun Tea

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The Subject: Sencha of the Summer Sun from Obubu Tea.


Rating:

Water temperature: 195-212° F per label

Steeping time: not specified, see comments

Tea type: Green
Scents, flavorings added: N/A
Aroma, dry tea leaves: Vegetal, spinachy
Aroma in the cup, plain: Vegetal, spinachy
Taste in the cup, plain: see comments
Aroma in the cup, enhanced: N/A
Taste in the cup, enhanced: N/A

Additional Infusion(s): Did 2 (total of 3), more possible

Comments:
Hubby and I were so happy to get to try more samples from Obubu. Teas from Japan are just starting to make an inroads into mainstream tea drinking in the U.S. Sort of make us feel like we are contributing, albeit in a small way, to this adventure. And the name of this tea is so beautiful, especially considering that we are just starting into Fall and leaving that Summer sun behind us.

Unfortunately, the sample size was so small that we only had one shot at getting this right. Also, the package directions did not include a steep time recommendation, so we went by how we’ve steeped other green teas. One difference from the label is that we steeped using 8 oz instead of 6 oz.

We should have looked up what our steep time was on the Kabuse Sencha we reviewed a while ago, which was steeped for only 30 seconds each.

We present our tale here for your edification:

• 1st infusion: steeped 3 minutes (WAAYYY too long), taste was vegetal and spinachy as expected but also had a strong edge and downright bitterness. Lesson here: Don’t under any circumstances steep this tea that long. You can save this, though, and make it drinkable by adding another 8 oz of water to it.
• 2nd and 3rd infusions: steeped 1 minute each with MUCH better results. Same vegetal and spinachy taste, but milder and with no bitterness or edge.

We would have gotten at least one and possibly two more infusions if we had not messed up the first one. Sigh!

The leaves after three infusions show how deceptive the small pieces are in the beginning. They open out in a flavorful spread:

Getting the color right on these photos was tough. Unlike what you see here, the 2nd and 3rd infusions were a pale green color:

Overall, this is a delightful tea for a change of pace or when you want a really soothing tea to have during your quiet, contemplative tea moment, like this one where Little Yellow Teapot stands in peaceful vigil over our teatime:

The yummy rice cookie is a great accompaniment for this tea. You might want a bit of sushi or some mild cheese and crackers.

Certainly worth a try. Just watch how you steep it!

Disclaimer: This tea was provided by the company named. However, the rating of the tea and any opinions concerning it are always strictly objective.