New or Aged??



fresh from the tea field!

Shincha (lit; new tea) season is just around the corner. It usually refers to "Sencha" made from the first tea leaves of the year, and is valued as high-quality of tea. However, it isn’t always the case in terms of quality. Some Japanese tea with high quality can be aged like wine and cheese are.

Shincha is particularly characterized by fresh aroma producing from young tender buds and leaves. It gives us sense of refreshing and the power of youth when drinking. While aging, tea gets matured, bringing deeper flavor and milder taste. In other words, it can be said “new tea for fresh aroma, and aged tea for deeper taste.”

Considering this, I feel that human beings have something in common with tea. When young, people are fresh and powerful. Over time, they get matured and more stable. Am I going too far?

Anyway, it completely depends on your preference which you’d select either new or aged teas. Maybe, why don’t you try both!