DavidsTea Imperial Sencha is the final of the three new traditional teas released this month. If you missed them, I have already reviewed Ruby Oolong and Golden Monkey. Like the others, Imperial Sencha comes with a fairly hefty price tag compared to their regular Sencha. Though not as expensive as the black or oolong teas released this week.
DavidsTea promises that their limited edition Imperial Sencha is fit for an Emporer. With a rich umami-rich flavour, oceanic aroma and pure green colour it is a step above their regular sencha.
DavidsTea Imperial Sencha Ingredients & Steeping Instructions
Imperial Sencha Ingredients: Organic sencha green tea from Japan
Imperial Sencha Steeping Instructions: 1-2 perfect spoons per 16oz hot (167℉ – 176℉ or 75℃ – 80℃) not boiling water for 2-3 minutes.
This does oversteep quickly and 90 seconds was enough to bring out the full flavour. The Tea Guide who cashed me out mentioned that my sample bag was barely enough for a cup so I used way too much. I used almost 2 spoons for 10 oz and ended up having to add more water as it was so strong. It is organic and kosher and priced at 14.98 for 50g of tea.
DavidsTea Imperial Sencha Tea Review
The loose leaf Imperial Sencha from DavidsTea is dark and slightly wet looking with little dust included. It bulks up a lot while steeping, so leave plenty of space in your infuser. It brews to a deep yellow green colour leaving a bright green leaf behind.
The tea is very flavourful and strong on the umami to the point it was almost fishy. Not my top preference in a tea and the reason I don’t drink much sencha. It is more oceanic than grassy but for those who love their sencha, it is bold, a deep yellow green and worth trying. Personally, I prefer their regular Japanese Sencha over the Imperial Sencha which is better for the wallet too.
Is DavidsTea Imperial Sencha Worth The Price?
Compared to the other teas in the traditional teas release, this is the one I would skip. Unless you are a huge Sencha fan, David’s Tea sells a decent regular sencha for less. That being said, it is the cheapest of the new teas. I would try it once if you are a fan of sencha. Otherwise, spend your money – or Frequent Steeper Rewards – on Ruby Oolong or Golden Monkey.