Gyokuro is one of the finest green teas to come from Japan. It is expensive, but it is well-worth the extra money. Gyokuro embodies all of the unique properties that makes green tea special to me. In my opinion, Gyokuro puts the “green” in green tea. This tea is for people that crave a vegetal flavor from their green tea. It all starts by protecting the tender buds from the sun about three weeks before harvesting. So, just imagine a field of tea bushes covered by straw screens to slow photosynthesis. Who’s the genius that thought of this? So many great harvesting and production techniques are created by observant farmers (accidents with a tasty outcome). Many of the famous Japanese teas have a unique characteristic that adds to the popularity of Japanese green tea. Anyway, it’s early spring and the young tea buds are artificially shaded and carefully picked during the first flush. The small leaves contain more chlorophyll than normal because they’ve been shaded from the sun for several days. Now you see why this tea is g-r-e-e-n. After the tea is picked it goes through a rigorous production process. The finest processed leaves are selected for Gyokuro.
If you have tried Gyokuro, you know the heavenly scent that lingers from the dried leaves. Although the leaves are small, you can get a feel for just how much moisture the leaves held under the shade by rolling them around in your fingers. I find myself popping the lid off of the tea tin just to inhale the aroma of the tea. It’s literally a breath of fresh air. Now, since I paid a lot for the tea I’m careful during the steeping process. I start with water that is well below a boil. Maybe about 130 degrees. The first steeping gets the tiny needle-like leaves to open, which only takes a couple of minutes. The second steeping can be much shorter since the leaves are already open. To me, it’s all about feel and taste. Even when I’m impatient and the water is too hot, this tea is a treat. Make it the way you like it…this ain’t rocket science. Just don’t scorch the tea with boiling water or let it steep too long.
Let’s talk flavor…as I mentioned this tea is g-r-e-e-n. If you are the one that picks their vegetables off their plate, you’re not going to like this. The tea has a very juicy vegetal flavor. Due to its growing environment, Gyokuro’s tannin level is much lower than other green teas; therefore, it is not a bitter tea. The tea is so smooth and pure. The vegetal flavor is so inviting. The tea also has a slight bite to it - an almost spice like quality about it. The liquor is a pale green color. I highly recommend this tea to anyone wanting to try a high-grade green tea or simply want to try an excellent Japanese green tea. The Gyokuro I’m drinking this week is from Adagio.
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