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“Spring is here. Finally! And spring means that I have a mood and craving for green teas. So I did today. Harvest from April 2021 is not much encouraging, but here’s another stop by Around the World...” Read full tasting note
Boseong Sejak Nokcha (보성군 세작 녹차) is an organic green tea from the Choi family plantation located in the famous Boseong County of South Jeolla Province. The spring Sejak (세작) grade is plucked in late April and is the second flush after the rare and expensive Ujeon (우전) grade. The name Sejak Nokcha refers both to the flush of this tea and the fact that it is a green tea, or nokcha (녹차). This tea has full organic certification, was picked in April 2021 and is sourced by us directly from the Choi family.The Choi family plantation produces some classic teas that all have their own unique characters but maintain a distinctive ‘Korean’ taste. The family has owned this plantation for 3 generations and the tea making knowledge passes down from one generation to the next. They take great care in growing and producing their organic teas that showcase wonderful traditional Korean tea flavours. The Choi family also runs tea making workshops for local schools, passing down their tea knowledge and promoting local agricultural work. Most children of farmers around the area are keen on moving to big cities for study and work, so their work is essential in ensuring the future of Korean tea.
Korean teas are distinguished by having a clear classification system of flushes. The first flush Ujeon (우전) is the most prized one, which is the ‘pre-rain’ picking of the tea leaves. This is followed by Sejak (세작) ‘thin sparrow’, Jungjak (중작) ‘medium sparrow’ and Daejak (대작) ‘big sparrow’ flushes. These names refer to the shape and size of the leaves and their resemblance to sparrow tongues. Finally the Yeopcha (엽차) grade is the last picking of the season representing a coarse grade that is suitable for everyday drinking. The earlier the harvest, the more expensive the tea is. Earlier harvests also have more intense characteristics and heavily feature dominant green, savoury and umami flavours.
This Boseong Sejak Nokcha is from the second Sejak flush and is processed as a green tea. Unlike the earlier Ujeon harvest that is pan-fried in order to stop the oxidations process, this Nokcha undergoes steaming. This method of halting oxidation is more prevalent in Japan and it produces green teas that have bold profiles and flavours that have strong savoury and umami flavours. Steaming does happen to be a very popular processing methodology in Korea as well.
This Boseong Sejak Nokcha has wiry dark green leaves. It produces a grassy liquor that has a refreshing floral aspect to it. The flavours are predominantly grassy and savoury yet sweet with notes of nori seaweed. There is slight dryness present on the lasting aftertaste that is not at all distracting as it is balanced by some sweet notes. Overall this is a very clean and refreshing cup that still produces complex flavours.
It is best brewed at 70c for 2-3 minutes and can be re-brewed multiple times.
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Spring is here. Finally! And spring means that I have a mood and craving for green teas. So I did today. Harvest from April 2021 is not much encouraging, but here’s another stop by Around the World in 8 Teas Selection Box by Curious Tea!
I prepared it as suggested (1g/100 ml) which meant I used 3g for my 300 ml vessel. First bubbles heard and that water temperature used. Steeped for around 2 and so minutes and it get a wonderful yellow-green colour, slightly opaque. That said, even it’s a bit older; it seems perfectly fresh.
As I have limited (if any, again) experience with Korean teas, namely their greens, I had no idea what to expect. I read on the pouch it should be floral and grassy in the aroma; and I agree and I add some fruits notes — I notice a bit of strawberries and other summer berries in an empty cup. Huh, strange.
Promised flavours are grassy, with savoury seaweed notes. Well, here I agree with second part, it wasn’t much grassy — but it was seaweed and kale, vegetal notes. I have tried also a second steep, as they say it can be steeped 3+ times (but no mood for more than two); and second one turned out buttery and hay-like, which is due to hotter water used I think. It wasn’t that smooth and savoury.
In conclusion, I am happy with this tea and it is, one day, a different green tea than I am used to. Yep, I have still some Japanese left.
