Chill Tea's Sencha "Midori"

Hailing from the high-altitude (650m) Narao region of Shizuoka, Japan, this is a single-origin, first-flush (Ichibancha) Sencha cultivated by Mr. Mori. It's worth noting upfront that I haven't previously explored Sencha at this specific premium tier. From the gift set price I'd estimate the Sencha Midori's portion of the cost to be around £25, placing it firmly in the high-end category. I was eager to see if this renowned tea would live up to expectations.

Packaging and Appearance:
The tea arrives in an elegant black canister. Inside, the leaves are packed in a vacuum-sealed foil pouch, you just know that it signals a commitment to freshness and quality, essential at this price point. Upon opening the pouch, the aroma immediately hits me, it's fresh and strong. The dry leaves themselves are visually impressive: a deep, vibrant green with the characteristic fine, needle-like shape of high-quality Sencha. They appear uniform and tightly rolled, confirming careful processing.

Aroma:
Beyond the initial powerful scent from the dry leaves, the aroma deepens when brewed. The wet leaves release a wonderfully fresh, grassy, and vibrant fragrance, it certainly carries that "well-balanced aroma" mentioned in its descriptions.

Brewing and Liquor:
Following the package instructions as a base, I brewed the tea using my Brita then filtered again with Phox softener cooled to 70C. Since I used a slightly larger water volume, I extended the infusion time slightly to 1 minute 20 seconds. The resulting liquor, as seen in the photo, is a beautiful, clear, light green-yellow, which I believes is the typical for correctly brewed first-flush Senchas. The steeped leaves unfurl nicely, revealing largely whole leaf pieces of bright green, confirming their quality.

Taste and Mouthfeel:
My experience with Sencha Midori was a bit of a journey, especially as someone new to this level of premium Sencha. Honestly, on the first day, after the first cup or two, I was intrigued but not entirely won over, more like a "hmm...", questioning if the complex profile justified the high cost.

However, the second day's tasting was a revelation. Using the same parameters, something just clicked. The initial sip was delicate, exceptionally smooth, almost velvety on the palate. But beneath that initial subtlety lies a surprising depth and richness that lingers. As you take the second sip, the full character of the Sencha unfolds, it truly is elegantly complex.

There's a definite umami presence as expected, that savoury, brothy note characteristic of high-grade Japanese green teas which contributes significantly to the rich, full-bodied mouthfeel. This umami is beautifully interwoven with a delicate, natural sweetness and the classic Sencha astringency/slight bitterness. It's not a sharp bitterness, but rather a structured note that balances the sweetness and umami, creating layers of flavour. It moves from delicate and smooth to rich and mouth-filling, leaving a clean, satisfying finish.

Overall Impression and Value:
Chill Tea Tokyo's Sencha Midori is undoubtedly a high-quality, premium tea. The freshness, the quality of the leaf, the complexity, and the delightful umami-rich flavour profile are evident, especially once your palate attunes to it. While the description might suggest it's for everyday enjoyment, its quality and price tag firmly place it in the "premium treat" or special occasion category for me.

I'm giving this Sencha Midori a strong 4 out of 5 stars. It's a genuinely excellent, complex, and rewarding Sencha experience reflecting its high-altitude, first-flush origins, and it served as an impressive introduction to ultra-premium Sencha for me. The deduction of one star is purely based on the premium price point (even when considering the gift set value), which makes it less accessible for frequent drinking compared to other high-quality Senchas, impacting the overall value perception. However, for Sencha enthusiasts or anyone looking to explore the upper echelons of Japanese green tea, this is definitely worth trying if the budget allows, perhaps initially via the gift set as I did.