Photo: Yunomi |
Country of Origin: Japan
Leaf Appearance: deep green, needle-like
Ingredients: green tea
Steep time: 2 minutes
Water Temperature: 120 degrees
Preparation Method: Hagi glazed houjin
Liquor: bright green
This tea was actually from the July shipment of Yunomi’s Tea Samplers Club. I’ve got a bit of a back log so I wasn’t able to get it published until now. Gyokuro is a rare treat and I dove into this one with gusto. It was nothing short of exquisite. The taste was sweet and grassy with a buttery mouth-feel. There no bitterness at all. The umami (strong savory taste caused by high levels of theanine) became stronger as the tea cooled. This is a tea that calls for closing your eyes and taking deep breaths between sips. For my second and third infusions, I followed +Yunomi.us‘s directions and steeped the tea for 20 seconds at 175 degrees. These cups were more astringent but just as delicious. I love how much background information was included about the family farm that produced this tea. The Kurihara family has been growing tea in the Yame region of Japan since 1942. This particular tea comes from one specific field with leave that are cut about regular Heritage Gyokuro.
You can find out more about this tea here.