OSK Sencha Japanese Green Tea Review Summary:
Overall Rating: ★★★★☆ (4.1 /5)
Aroma: ★★★★☆( 4/5)
Taste: ★★★★✬(4.5 /5)
Packaging: ★★★★☆ (4 /5)
Value for Money: ★★★★☆ ( 4/5)
Brand: Odani Kokofun
Blend: Sencha Green tea, Chlorella
Origin: Japan
Caffeine: Medium
Price: USD 10.99 / 20 teabags
Brew: 80°C, 3 minutes
Pairing: Sushi/Seafood pasta
Buy: Amazon
OSK Sencha Japanese Green Tea Review:
Overview of OSK Sencha Japanese Green Tea:
I have drank the OSK Sencha Japanese Green tea many times and it is my most favorite green tea brand among teabags!
When it comes to teabags, while good flavored teas or black teas are easier to come by, it’s much more difficult to find a good green tea. You have a much better chance with loose leaf, which is really the better option for all kinds of teas.
But sometimes you just don’t have the time and equipment at hand, like if you’re really busy or you’re outdoors or in the office. And the teabag becomes your friend.
Among the green tea teabags that I did like, I can tell you that the OSK Sencha green tea is my absolute favorite!
About Sencha
Sencha is a type of Japanese green tea. It is the most common type of green tea that’s drunk in Japan.
Sencha differs from Chinese green teas because the tea leaves are steamed instead of pan-fried, creating more vegetal flavors.
It is different from other types of Japanese green teas because it is made from young leaves grown in full sunlight (although there may be exceptions to this rule), while other Japanese teas like Matcha or Gyokuro are grown in the shade.
Kochi, Japan, which is where this tea is from is particularly well-known for making high-quality Sencha.
If you want to learn more about the differences between Sencha and other green teas, Nio Teas has written an excellent article on the topic.
In this article, we will explore:
- Brewing Conditions
- Aroma
- Taste
- Packaging
- Value for Money
- Caffeine Level
- Food Pairings
- About OSK
- Where to Buy
Brewing Conditions:
Brewing the OSK Sencha Japanese Green Tea at 80°C for 3 minutes gave it a beautiful lime green color, which is what you want to see in your green tea. This was sufficient time to create a strong flavorful cup of tea.
Aroma (4/5):
After 3 minutes of brewing, the cup was giving a strong, soothing, almost earthy aroma of green tea.
Taste (4.5/5):
The taste was just perfect. There was a very grounding, umami aftertaste.
I also got the flavor of seaweed. On checking the box, I saw that the tea also contained Chlorella, a type of seaweed or green algae that is packed with nutrients. This contributed to a fishy aftertaste, which was not off-putting at all. It made the tea more umami and refreshing.
Moreover, the box states that the International Taste Institute of Brussels awarded this tea the Superior Taste Award in 2021.
Packaging (4/5):
The box of OSK Sencha Green tea is simple. It’s a light green box without any elaborate designs, illustrating the product.
The box itself is made from paperboard which is a recyclable material. Each teabag is individually wrapped, which I love because this keeps the tea fresh for a long time.
However, it’s still best to keep the tea away from sunlight, heat, and moisture.
The teabags contain no staples and are recyclable according to the box, but I could not find information on the specific materials used.
Each individual bag also contains nitrogen. Nitrogen is often used in food packaging to drive out any oxygen or moisture present so that the food stays fresh longer.
According to the box, it was manufactured by Odani Kokofun in Takasu, Kochi city in Japan. Kochi has several tea plantations and is known for producing high-grade sencha. So, I assume the tea has been sourced from there.
However, I could not find any specific information on sourcing other than the tea is made in Japan.
Value for Money (4/5):
The OSK Sencha Japanese Green Tea box I have contains 60 tea bags though I could not find the price (I got mine as a gift).
However, on Amazon USA, you can buy 20 teabags for USD 10.99 which brings the price of each teabag to USD 0.55. Each teabag also comes individually wrapped. This is good value for the quality of tea.
Caffeine Level: Medium
The exact caffeine content in OSK Sencha Japanese Green Tea is not mentioned anywhere, at least I couldn’t find it. However, after drinking the tea I didn’t feel overly stimulated or jittery.
You can drink this tea in the afternoon or evenings. But if you are sensitive to caffeine, you shouldn’t drink this tea 6-7 hours before your bedtime so as not to disrupt your sleep patterns.
Food Pairings:
The OSK Sencha Japanese Green Tea tea would be best paired with seafood to complement the umami flavors of the tea. It would go perfectly with sushi, seafood pasta, or even a tuna salad sandwich.
About the brand | OSK:
Odani Kokufun is a Japanese company established in 1932. It originally focused on rice production and sales.
Over the years, the company expanded its offerings to include raw materials for traditional Japanese confectioneries, as well as roasted rice tea, barley tea, and other grain-based products. Known for its innovation, Odani Kokufun was the first company to mass-produce hygienic, sand-free barley tea successfully.
Today, the company provides a broad range of products, including various teas, grains, and health-focused foods such as FOSHU (Foods for Specified Health Uses) and Foods with Function Claims.
Where to Buy OSK Sencha Japanese Green Tea:
You can buy OSK Sencha Japanese Green Tea on Amazon if you’re in the USA. This product is available in grocery stores if you are in Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, or Indonesia.
