Ichibancha (First Harvest) Asamushi 浅蒸し(Lightly Steamed) grown naturally on the steep slopes of the mountains along the Tenryû 天竜 (Heavenly Dragon) River system is, like Hon.yama or Kawane, one of the celebrated mountain tea producing areas of Japan.
A lovely buttery and floral fragrance is matched by a rich but gentle, sweet, and soft buttery taste. In the lingering aftertaste a delightful liveliness is evident. No astringency, no excessive sweetness or umami, taste is very suggestive of Whey. This beautiful fusion of elements is also expressed right down into the throat.
Asamushi cha can be slightly tannic but not in this case indicating very high-quality cultivation. Soen Nagatani in Ujitawara-cho in Kyoto Prefecture introduced the Asamushi technique to stop the enzyme function, but any problems during cultivation can manifest as astringency or bitterness. This is a very desirable Cha but follow the brewing recommendations:
(1) 70c/60s/6g
(2) 70c/10s/6g
For the next steep I opted to increase the temp to 80c but the delightful savoury elements are to be found in the first two steeps.
Asamushi-cha is about reflecting the enjoyable and distinctive characteristics of the cultivar. Here it is 100% Yabukita (やぶきた), popular for its umami flavour and strong aroma both of which are expertly showcased in this wonderful tea.