Why is Shincha So Refreshing? (Shincha News Flash)- Around June 12: (Why is Shincha So Refreshing?)
- Status of Shincha Teas: Now Available
Around June 12: (Why is Shincha So Refreshing?)
 Shincha tea leaves are a beautiful green color. |
 Tea leaves are carefully hand picked. |
 Shincha tea leaves has unique excellent and refreshing aroma. |
 The aroma of tea leaves relaxes the body and mind. |
 Our teas are specially packaged to stay fresh. |
 To enjoy the unique excellent and refreshing aroma, it is best to brew fresh green tea with a little higher temperature water. |
Modern facilities and expertise regarding tea preservation enable us to keep tea leaves in good condition for a year or more. However, Shincha (the first tea of the year) just after harvest is known for its unique excellent and refreshing aroma.
The remarkable fresh aroma of Shincha comes from a type of natural alcohol, the leaf alcohol (formula: C6H12O) that is found in fresh green tea leaves though a few hundred kinds of ester constituents create the refreshing aroma. This special leaf alcohol can be found only in Japanese green tea.
The leaf alcohol is created by a kind of fatty acid known as linolenic acid. The most leaf alcohol can be found not in Niban Cha (the second tea of the year) or Sanban Cha (the third tea of the year) but Shincha or Ichiban Cha (the first tea of the year) because the fatty acids which have accumulated since autumn of the previous year are most concentrated in the first harvest.
Leaf alcohol easily evaporates because it is volatile. Shincha retains its leaf alcohol only a few months, even if Shincha is specially finished and stored. We take great care to preserve our Shincha teas to retain the leaf alcohol. For example, if tea leaves are not allowed enough time to dry during the finishing process, the tea can easily deteriorate. In addition, all of our teas are specially packaged to stay fresh.
It is said that the leaf alcohol, which is the source of the unique excellent and refreshing aroma of Shincha, has the comfortable aroma of a lush green forest after rain. It works to relax your mind and body.
The aroma of tea leaf alcohol is not only attractive to humans. Insects also love tea leaf alcohol. When tea leaves effuse the scent of leaf alcohol, it draws many insects to the tea fields. If farmers allow weeds to grow around the tea trees, the leaf alcohol prompts the weeds to produce phenol. Phenol kills harmful insects, therefore the weeds act as a natural insect repellant. Leaf alcohol helps tea trees to protect themselves from insects.
To enjoy the unique excellent and refreshing aroma of the tea leaf alcohol, it is best to brew fresh green tea with a little higher temperature water. The leaf alcohol is well extracted by higher temperature water. It is the reason why we recommend two ways of brewing Shincha (brewing by higher and regular temperature water).
It is only once each year, during the harvest season, that you can enjoy the unique excellent and refreshing aroma of Shincha.
The remarkable fresh aroma of Shincha comes from a type of natural alcohol, the leaf alcohol (formula: C6H12O) that is found in fresh green tea leaves though a few hundred kinds of ester constituents create the refreshing aroma. This special leaf alcohol can be found only in Japanese green tea.
The leaf alcohol is created by a kind of fatty acid known as linolenic acid. The most leaf alcohol can be found not in Niban Cha (the second tea of the year) or Sanban Cha (the third tea of the year) but Shincha or Ichiban Cha (the first tea of the year) because the fatty acids which have accumulated since autumn of the previous year are most concentrated in the first harvest.
Leaf alcohol easily evaporates because it is volatile. Shincha retains its leaf alcohol only a few months, even if Shincha is specially finished and stored. We take great care to preserve our Shincha teas to retain the leaf alcohol. For example, if tea leaves are not allowed enough time to dry during the finishing process, the tea can easily deteriorate. In addition, all of our teas are specially packaged to stay fresh.
It is said that the leaf alcohol, which is the source of the unique excellent and refreshing aroma of Shincha, has the comfortable aroma of a lush green forest after rain. It works to relax your mind and body.
The aroma of tea leaf alcohol is not only attractive to humans. Insects also love tea leaf alcohol. When tea leaves effuse the scent of leaf alcohol, it draws many insects to the tea fields. If farmers allow weeds to grow around the tea trees, the leaf alcohol prompts the weeds to produce phenol. Phenol kills harmful insects, therefore the weeds act as a natural insect repellant. Leaf alcohol helps tea trees to protect themselves from insects.
To enjoy the unique excellent and refreshing aroma of the tea leaf alcohol, it is best to brew fresh green tea with a little higher temperature water. The leaf alcohol is well extracted by higher temperature water. It is the reason why we recommend two ways of brewing Shincha (brewing by higher and regular temperature water).
It is only once each year, during the harvest season, that you can enjoy the unique excellent and refreshing aroma of Shincha.
Status of Shincha Teas: Now Available
Shincha is Now Available
At last, the Shincha Harvest started here in the Uji region! Some of our Shincha items are now available.
We have arranged to add four limited edition Shincha items only available this Shincha harvest season, featuring some regular Sencha items with especially enjoyable Shincha flavor. And other Sencha regular items are planned to be replaced later by Shincha step by step.
Celebrate our first tea harvest of the year with Hibiki-an's Shincha and enjoy the remarkable fresh flavor which can only be experienced once every year!
We have arranged to add four limited edition Shincha items only available this Shincha harvest season, featuring some regular Sencha items with especially enjoyable Shincha flavor. And other Sencha regular items are planned to be replaced later by Shincha step by step.
Celebrate our first tea harvest of the year with Hibiki-an's Shincha and enjoy the remarkable fresh flavor which can only be experienced once every year!
Limited edition Shincha items
All items below are limited edition of 1,200 packages each ONLY AVAILABLE this spring harvest season. We have arranged various types of Shincha, which will be specially finished to enjoy Shincha's refreshing aroma and flavor. For more information regarding each item, please click on the links below. We hope you will enjoy the refreshing aroma and smooth flavor of each Shincha item!
[Limited] Shincha Traditional (80g/2.82oz): US$28.00 (Now Available)
These tea leaves are finished in the traditional Uji/Kyoto style. Therefore the astringent refreshing aroma and mellow flavor are prominent, and the harmony is excellent... |
[Limited] Shincha Fukamushi (80g/2.82oz): US$23.00 (Now Available)
Saemidori breed brings us pleasure in the springtime, to consider the unique flavor and early-ripening. Enjoy the sweet and smooth taste unique to this tea, as well as the fresh aroma... |
[Limited] Farmers' Shincha (160g/5.64oz): US$27.00 (Now Available)
Enjoy the natural taste and refreshing aroma of this "Aracha" Shincha at an affordable price. "Aracha" is unprocessed tea that Japanese farmers have been enjoying for centuries... |
[Limited] Shincha Gyokuro (80g/2.82oz): US$28.00 (Now Available)
With our Shincha Gyokuro you can enjoy both the refreshing aroma of Shincha and the mellow smooth taste of Gyokuro in one cup of tea. In the tea industry, it is called "Kabuse Cha"... |
[Limited] Shincha Matcha (30g/1.06oz) US$34.00 (Now Available)
Recently, Shincha Matcha is enjoyed mainly among teachers or masters of tea ceremony. They enjoy the fresh flavor of Shincha Matcha. And they feel delight of the spring season, inspired by the fresh flavor of Shincha Matcha... |
[Limited] Shincha Matcha Refill (120g / 4.23oz): US$109.00 (Now Available)
This Shincha Matcha Refill package is an excellent value. The price is actually discounted 20%. Over time, the refreshing aroma will moderate and the flavor will enrich, so that you can enjoy a subtle variation of aroma and flavor with each refill... |
Regular Sencha items with especially enjoyable Shincha flavor
We recommed three regular items especially recommended to enjoy Shincha's remarkable refreshing aroma and fresh and smooth flavor!...
[Shincha!] Sencha Pinnacle (40g/1.41oz): US$30.00 (Now Available)
Sencha Pinnacle, which is the highest quality Sencha produced in Japan, is the same type of tea which has been presented to the Japanese emperor for many years. This tea is grown at the same tea farm with tea that had been presented to the Japanese Emperor, and harvested in the same way, picked by skilled hands... |
[Shincha!] Sencha Super Premium (40g/1.41oz): US$24.00 (Now Available)
This tea is grown at the same tea farm with tea that had been presented to the Japanese Emperor for many hundreds of years, and harvested in the same way, picked by skilled hands. With this special tea, you can enjoy the same Shincha flavor enjoyed by Japanese Emperors... |
[Shincha!] Organic Sencha Premium (100g/3.53oz): US$27.00 (Now Available)
Organic Sencha's harvest generally starts 7 to 10 days later than conventional grown Sencha. The feature of the flavor is very simple and traditional. We imagine that the Shincha flavor enjoyed hundreds of years ago in historical Japan was just like this. Would you enjoy the simple Shincha flavor that was enjoyed long, long ago?... |
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