Shincha Sofu Shizuoka 20g

Our Impression

First try: 1:24
80°C 60s
80°C 15~20s
80°C 20~25s

This one delivers, man…

A delicate, intriguing tea that delivers an elegant and satisfying feeling with each steep, leaving a gentle, cooling sensation in the throat after the third.

White florals in sencha, this is cool.

Smooth texture... I gotta retry and focus more on texture, but it was good.

Considering to move this cultivar of this particular character to Signatures line-up (if I can get it again next year).

Terroirs really matters. When I was in Japan in June, I tried Sofu from Tosa, Sakawa, Kochi and it was unlike this. I personally couldn't make it work to me no matter how I brewed it.

TDJ Product Description

SENCHA FROM HON.YAMA, TAMAKAWA, SÔFÛ CULTIVAR

Floral, grape, vanilla
Umami★★☆☆ / Astringency★★☆☆
Body★★★☆ / Firing★★☆☆

Here is a very fine sencha from Hon.yama, hand-harvested in the mountains of Tamakawa on the famous Tsukiji garden.

Sôfû, a cross between Yabukita and Shizu-Inzatsu-131, has inherited Indian origins from the latter cultivar. It is an Inzatsu, a cultivar highly celebrated for its typical floral, sweet fragrance.

The scent of the leaves is very strong and intense. Beyond the typical floral aspect of this type of cultivar, there are also fruity notes and, especially, spicy notes that evoke cinnamon and vanilla. All of this is in the first attack in the mouth, very rich in aromas. The liquor is very mellow and smooth, and the aftertaste is incredibly broad and rich, revealing exceptional sweet length. This is a sencha that promises a large number of infusions.

The liquor is very pure, very pristine, but without the tannic aspect that is often found in senchas that come from ''inzatsu'' cultivars. It only has a slight, pleasant astringency that gives it texture. This Japanese tea from Hon.yama, with its delicacy and sweetness, has just the right amount of umami without being excessive and still being very natural.
It is one of the greats. A powerful, rich tea with tropical accents that are very pleasant in the nose, mouth and throat.

Type of tea : Futsumushi (normal-steamed) sencha
Origin : Terao, Tamakawa Area, Aoi Borough, Shizuoka City, Shizuoka Prefecture
Cultivar : Sôfû
Harvest : April 25th & May 5th, 2024, hand harvest

Brewing suggestion
Quantity of leaves: 4g
Quantity of water : 70ml
Water temperature : 80°C
Brewing time : 60s