Sencha Green Tea
Buckhead Tea Company
$18.00USD for 3oz (85g)

I contacted Buckhead Tea Company back in June through Instagram because I was so excited to find a tea company local to me after Teavana closed. North Atlanta is lacking in the specialty tea department and I am hoping to see the CommuniTea here grow!

Packaging

My Sencha Green Tea Sample from Buckhead Tea Company arrived with 3 other loose leaf tea samples and two tea bag box sets. The loose leaf samples arrived in black, lightproof, resealable bags. On the front is the company label and the back has the name of the tea and brewing instructions. I absolutely love what the bag says at the bottom:

Steeping tea to bring out it’s best flavor is a science, but drinking tea is an art. Although we recommend steeping times and temperatures as a guideline, what matters most is that you make your cup the way you like best!

Buckhead Tea Company

Truer words have never been spoken! I can tell you all day how I steep MY teas but you might like the same tea steeped a little stronger or a little lighter. Good for them for recognizing that and putting it out there!

I opened the package and was greeted by a sweet and grassy aroma with an incredibly pleasant light umami smell as well. Exactly what you would expect from a nice Sencha. The leaves were multiple shades of green. They were so pretty! I couldn’t wait to watch them grow.

How To Brew

The company recomends using 180*F water for 2-3 minutes. I typically brew my green teas closer to 175*F . I find the lower temperatures bring out a sweeter flavor. A good quality Sencha can be re-steeped 4 or more times. I usually stick to my temperature but increase my steep time by 30 seconds for each additional steep.

The Experience

I’ve said before that I am not usually a big Sencha fan. Typically, I find that no matter what I do it comes out bitter and incredibly astringent. I used my steep temperature with Buckhead Tea Company’s steep time and was very pleasantly surprised by the outcome.

Buckhead Tea Company’s Sencha steeped to a deep yellow color. A little darker than I would expect from a Sencha, but I also brewed it longer than I normally do which could explain the deeper color. The first steep brought a sweet umami aroma and a grassy flavor that reminded me of a spring day just after a rain storm. There was a heaviness to it that left a creamy feeling on the tongue. There was absolutely no bitterness.
The second steeping had the same heavy, creamy flavor but had a bitterness that wasn’t present in the first steeping.
The third steeping brought the sweet umami flavor back. It was very smooth and made a great sipping tea.

In Conclusion

I think it is time for me to re-think my feelings on Sencha. Perhaps my taste has changed, perhaps I’ve just gotten better at making it? This is the second Sencha that I have thoroughly enjoyed.

The leaves deepened as they brewed. I love how large the leaves are! This is a fabulous morning tea for those who aren’t looking for the strong flavor of a black tea but still like a little heavy creaminess in the morning. It would also be great as a mid-day pick-me-up!

As I reconsider my feelings towards Sencha, this is absolutely a tea that I could keep on hand to remind me that, made well, this is a wonderful green tea that is worth being enjoyed often.

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