Surprising fact about Sencha! Is most of it actually a blend?
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What is Gogumi?
Do you know the depth of sencha? In fact, most of the sencha we drink every day is made by blending multiple tea leaves.
In the tea world, this blend is called "Gogumi."
Coffee and black tea blends are well known, and Sencha is no exception.
For example, even if a product is labeled "Yabukita tea," it is often a blend of Yabukita teas from multiple regions.
Why go to the trouble of blending them?
Why we "blend" tea
This is to provide tea that is more delicious and of consistent quality.
Even the same Yabukita tea has a different flavor depending on where it is produced.
For example, coffee from Kyoto has a strong fragrance while coffee from Shikoku is characterized by its astringency; by blending them while taking advantage of the individual characteristics of each, it is possible to create a balanced flavor.
Furthermore, because tea is a natural product, it is difficult to produce tea that tastes the same every year.
The taste of tea leaves varies depending on the weather and cultivation methods used each year.
By combining tea vines, they can make up for each other's shortcomings in any given year and consistently provide tea of consistent quality.
In recent years, single-variety teas that are not blended are of course delicious with their own unique characteristics, but by combining teas, it is possible to produce flavors, colors, and aromas that cannot be achieved by a single type alone.
A blend of teas filled with the tea master's attention to detail and individuality
In this way, the world of Sencha is deep and diverse, thanks to the technique of blending.
Although it is simply called Sencha, behind it lies the many years of experience and dedication of tea masters.
The ratio of the blend varies depending on the tea shop, so it can also be said to reflect the "personality" of each tea shop.
The next time you drink tea, why not try imagining what kind of tea leaves are blended into it? I'm sure it will make your tea experience even more enjoyable.
