Tea Cultivar · Camellia sinensis var. sinensis
Saimidori (Korean)
- Origin
- South Korea - Boseong
- Registered
- 1995
- Primary use
- green tea, sencha-style
Overview
Saimidori is a Korean cultivar selected at the Boseong Tea Experiment Station and registered in the mid-1990s as part of a national program to develop earlier-budding, higher-yielding alternatives to indigenous sukcha. The name is the Korean romanization of a near-homophone of Japan's Saemidori, and the two are sometimes confused in English literature; despite the similar name, the Korean Saimidori is a distinct selection derived from local Boseong material crossed with introduced Japanese cold-tolerant lines. It now accounts for a meaningful share of new plantings in Boseong's modernized terraced gardens.
Characteristics
Bud break is roughly seven to ten days earlier than indigenous sukcha, an important commercial advantage for capturing the premium ujeon (pre-Gogu) market. Leaves are medium-sized, glossy, and slightly more pointed than sukcha, with high chlorophyll content giving an intense jade color when shaded or steamed. Cold tolerance is good though not equal to native sukcha; growers in colder northern plots still favor sukcha for security.
Flavor profile
Cup profile is brighter and more vegetal than sukcha - fresh snow pea, edamame, and a clean grassy umami in steamed preparations, with a noticeably sweeter aftertaste. Pan-fired (deokkeum) styles bring out a light roasted chestnut and toasted sesame note. The cultivar takes well to brief shading in the final two weeks before harvest, producing a Korean answer to kabusecha.
Where it grows
South Korea - Boseong