Umami

Savoury, full, brothy. From glutamate and theanine.

Umami is the savoury, full, brothy taste. It comes from glutamate and theanine and is strongest in shade-grown Japanese green tea. Brew it with water at 50–60°C, briefly.

Often found in

• Gyokuro · Green tea · 50–60°C
  Intensely umami and sweet, almost brothy, with little bitterness.
• Matcha · Green tea · 70–80°C
  Creamy, umami and grassy, with a sweet undertone.
• Sencha · Green tea · 70–75°C
  Fresh and grassy, with umami and a slightly astringent finish. Think spinach and seaweed.

Brewing tea: temperature and steeping time