Sencha - Irtolehti

Brewed a cup this morning and the liquor is so smooth and sweet, almost like a broth, with none of the bitterness I usually get from supermarket sencha. The shading really does its job—it's the closest I've come to gyokuro without paying gyokuro prices.

The 18-day shading really comes through—this has that deep, savory umami I usually only get from gyokuro, but it's gentler on the wallet. Steeped it for two minutes and the liquor was a bright, sweet green with zero bitterness.

I brewed this one a bit cooler than my usual green tea and the liquor turned out incredibly smooth, almost sweet with a deep umami finish. The shade-grown leaves are so tender and vibrant, it's clear a lot of care went into the harvest.