Rishi Tea Organic Sencha

I haven't had any of Rishi,s Sencha,s since they first started offering them a couple of years ago. I,m not referring to their Sencha Superior but the more gourmet Sencha,s. I found this in Whole Foods the other day, for $13.99 you get a 60 gm nitro flushed bag inside a tin. With Shincha being just around the corner (meaning spring is coming) this is obviously last years tea, and it shows. Not bad mind you but starting to show it,s age. The leaf is mostly intact long needle shaped, deep green with yellow highlights. Organically grown in the Kagoshima Prefecture. A 250 gm bags price is $60.00 To me this tea is a little overpriced, it,s a good tea but the same quality of tea can be found for less money. (Hibiki-an) I use 8 gms of leaf for 9 oz water at 175 degrees. I go for a two minute infusion time, I like it strong. Brews a fairly pungent yellowish green cup. Plenty of veggie richness that I love so much, actually, I crave that veggie protein taste. My mouth actually waters when I smell a really good Sencha brewing. In a pinch when I,m between shipments this Sencha will do just fine but for my money I,d rather have Hibiki-an,s Sencha Superior. 200 gms is $28.00.

P.S. Yes that is a Hokujo Kyusu, water cooling pitcher and cup and saucer. The Kyusu I bought from Artistic Nippon and I got a boxed set of 5 cups and saucers from Japanese Handcraft. The cups and saucers is what hurt, $250.00 for the set. But I couldnt help it they were made to go with the teapot.