Hi Space Cowboy,

> The teas I buy are from Japanese merchants but I've always wondered
> why no blossom and I feel the taste is syrupy sweet. I just bought
> some from my local tea shoppe and the same taste.

I don't know if your tea is made the same way as the "sakura shincha" we get
here (about anywhere in Kansai) during the hanami season. Here, it's simply
flavored with an essential oil (like earl grey). It's not "sweet" at all and
the flavor doesn't last long. Even if you don't open the package, in June,
all the flavor is already gone. I wouldn't drink some regularly, but one or
two cups in season, that's refreshing.

The "sakura" flavor is that of a sort of "pickled cherry blossom". The
blossom has little flavor and perfume by itself, except a few uncommon
species, Japanese cherry blossom are just for the view, no perfume and no
cherries later. Most of the "sakura" flavor comes from a liquid you get when
you prepare umeboshi (salted unripe plum + shiso). They traditionnally use
that flavor and coloring sweets, that are popular in guess what season.
There exist chemical substitutes too. Adding some directly to the tea leaves
is certainly "an invention". So what ? Now it's invented. From what I got,
it existed in Japan before M*rr*ge Fr*r*s stole the idea.

Crymad, Jean-Luke was the girl with the grapefruit sencha.

Kuri