GYOKURO
JADE DEW
GREEN TEA
★ PESTICIDE-FREE GARDENING
Kirishima, Kagoshima, Kyushu, Japan
This Japanese green tea is made from the highest quality spring tea leaves and is famous for its sweet and delicate 'Umami' flavour. Made from Saemidori cultivar by a skilled tea master, this Gyokuro is one of the most unique teas on the planet that deserves special attention. MORE
This is the so-called Shincha ("New tea" or First harvest), which is appreciated for its soft and special taste.
AROMA
Grassy, seaweed
TASTE
Umami, baked seeds
CULTIVAR: Saemidori
HARVEST: Spring, 2023
GREEN TEA
★ PESTICIDE-FREE GARDENING
Kirishima, Kagoshima, Kyushu, Japan
This Japanese green tea is made from the highest quality spring tea leaves and is famous for its sweet and delicate 'Umami' flavour. Made from Saemidori cultivar by a skilled tea master, this Gyokuro is one of the most unique teas on the planet that deserves special attention. MORE
This is the so-called Shincha ("New tea" or First harvest), which is appreciated for its soft and special taste.
AROMA
Grassy, seaweed
TASTE
Umami, baked seeds
CULTIVAR: Saemidori
HARVEST: Spring, 2023
Due to the special cultivars, climate, and quality of the tea leaves, this type of tea is rich in amino acids, vitamins, and microelements. The highest quality green teas are made from spring young buds and leaves, traditionally processed to prevent oxidation and to keep the tea leaf in its original chemical composition. Green tea regulates body temperature and is very good in the summertime.
During the research over the past few decades, it has been discovered that green tea reduces the risk of heart disease, cleans the circulatory system, strengthens blood vessels, reduces blood pressure, lowers blood sugar, prevents the development of cancer cells, and relieves nervous tension.
Learn more about BIOCHEMISTRY OF A TEA LEAF
EASTERN (SENCHA DO) ★
Temperature: 60-75 °C
Amount: 3-7 grams per 120 ml of water
Steeping: 10-30 sec x 4
WESTERN (INFUSION)
Temperature: 70 °C
Amount: 2-3 grams per 250 ml of water
Steeping: 1-2 min x 2
Learn more about TEA BREWING METHODS
Tea absorbs surrounding aromas and moisture. This type of tea oxidizes when it comes into contact with oxygen and loses its properties, including taste and aroma. Store it in a dry and cool place in airtight packaging. Avoid direct exposure to the sun and high temperatures.
BEST BEFORE: 2 years since production date!
BEST BEFORE: 2 years since production date!
Learn more ABOUT TEA STORAGE
GYOKURO SAEMIDORI "JADE DEW"
ORIGIN
Kirishima is a city located in Kagoshima Prefecture located on the island of Kyushu. This is the country's southernmost tea region and it is considered the first place, where tea plants started to be cultivated. Kagoshima is one of the biggest tea-growing prefectures in Japan. A subtropical mild climate, rich volcanic soil, and high mastery of local farmers create a high-quality green tea, one of the best in Japan! Kirishima's tea is famous for its very delicate flavour and rich full-bodied 'umami' taste.
Exquisite green tea from Japan, which is considered one of the most unique and refined teas in the world. Due to a special growing, harvesting method, and production process, this tea has a unique flavour that cannot be found in any other green tea. This tea is made from the highest quality spring harvest. Approximately three weeks before plucking, tea bushes are shaded from the sun's rays, which reduces the content of alkaloids (theine) in the tea leaf and increases the content of amino acids (theanine), which has a tonic effect on the human body. Carefully hand-plucked, steamed, and traditionally processed, this tea has an intense and rich aroma and taste. This one is made from a special blend of two cultivars, Yabukita and Okumidori, which makes this Gyokuro unique.
ORGANOLEPTIC
The beautiful glossy whole-leaf material looks quite accurate because most Japanese teas are broken after a long and complex production process. The aroma of a dry tea leaf is gentle and sweet with grassy and creamy notes. The main note this tea is famous for is 'Umami' - a savoury taste of high-protein substances, considered to be an independent, fifth taste in China, Japan, and other countries of the Far East. The taste is intense and complex. Sweet and creamy, deep and tender with a little bit of bitterness. Full-bodied tea with a long-lasting sweet aftertaste and some menthol sensation.
Japanese prefer to brew these kinds of teas quite strongly, enjoying a deep complex taste. I prefer to brew them lighter to enjoy a sweet and tasty drink. I recommend you try using 70 °C water and infusing tea for about 30-45 seconds each time. You will get a more gentle and sweet drink with enough multifaceted taste to enjoy.
GASTRONOMY
This tea is a great aperitif before a meal and a great alternative to wine. It can be brewed with classic or cold-brewing methods. In the second case, tea can be infused with cold water for 1.5-3 hours. The infusion is light, tender, and rich. Its sweet taste and 'Umami' note pair perfectly with light salads, Hiashi Wakame (seaweed), broccoli, green peas, cucumber, and rice. You can experiment with different savoury or sweet foods to find your perfect combination. Due to a complex, intense taste, this tea can fit a lot of different things. You can also add this tea to a sauce, vinegar, or oil and leave it for some time to exchange the flavours.
EXPERT'S JUDGEMENT
"The traditional Gyokuro is shaded 20 days before the harvest, using a bamboo mat on a concrete post. The bamboo mat is about 60 cm above the tea trees. This process is good for keeping the temperature as low as possible and maintaining a few quantity of light which changes the chemical properties of the tea trees, more chlorophyll and more L-Theanine give the tea leaves more tenderness, deep vegetal notes and umami. Producers don't use any machine to harvest the tea everything is made by hand, each buds and young leaf are picked by hand under the bamboo mat. This is called "Hon" Gyokuro which means real Gyokuro in Japanese. But the production is so ridiculous and small because of the cost it's very difficult to sell it for a good price.
Most of the shades used to make Kabuse and Gyokuro nowadays are made using black synthetic fibre covering directly applied to the tea trees. Because of the black colour, it warms a little bit the tea trees so Mr. Henta found something new a synthetic fibre covering with reflectors to maintain a low temperature on the tea plant. He is trying to get closest to the traditional Gyokuro.
Kirishima is a city located in Kagoshima Prefecture located on the island of Kyushu. This is the country's southernmost tea region and it is considered the first place, where tea plants started to be cultivated. Kagoshima is one of the biggest tea-growing prefectures in Japan. A subtropical mild climate, rich volcanic soil, and high mastery of local farmers create a high-quality green tea, one of the best in Japan! Kirishima's tea is famous for its very delicate flavour and rich full-bodied 'umami' taste.
Exquisite green tea from Japan, which is considered one of the most unique and refined teas in the world. Due to a special growing, harvesting method, and production process, this tea has a unique flavour that cannot be found in any other green tea. This tea is made from the highest quality spring harvest. Approximately three weeks before plucking, tea bushes are shaded from the sun's rays, which reduces the content of alkaloids (theine) in the tea leaf and increases the content of amino acids (theanine), which has a tonic effect on the human body. Carefully hand-plucked, steamed, and traditionally processed, this tea has an intense and rich aroma and taste. This one is made from a special blend of two cultivars, Yabukita and Okumidori, which makes this Gyokuro unique.
ORGANOLEPTIC
The beautiful glossy whole-leaf material looks quite accurate because most Japanese teas are broken after a long and complex production process. The aroma of a dry tea leaf is gentle and sweet with grassy and creamy notes. The main note this tea is famous for is 'Umami' - a savoury taste of high-protein substances, considered to be an independent, fifth taste in China, Japan, and other countries of the Far East. The taste is intense and complex. Sweet and creamy, deep and tender with a little bit of bitterness. Full-bodied tea with a long-lasting sweet aftertaste and some menthol sensation.
Japanese prefer to brew these kinds of teas quite strongly, enjoying a deep complex taste. I prefer to brew them lighter to enjoy a sweet and tasty drink. I recommend you try using 70 °C water and infusing tea for about 30-45 seconds each time. You will get a more gentle and sweet drink with enough multifaceted taste to enjoy.
GASTRONOMY
This tea is a great aperitif before a meal and a great alternative to wine. It can be brewed with classic or cold-brewing methods. In the second case, tea can be infused with cold water for 1.5-3 hours. The infusion is light, tender, and rich. Its sweet taste and 'Umami' note pair perfectly with light salads, Hiashi Wakame (seaweed), broccoli, green peas, cucumber, and rice. You can experiment with different savoury or sweet foods to find your perfect combination. Due to a complex, intense taste, this tea can fit a lot of different things. You can also add this tea to a sauce, vinegar, or oil and leave it for some time to exchange the flavours.
EXPERT'S JUDGEMENT
"The traditional Gyokuro is shaded 20 days before the harvest, using a bamboo mat on a concrete post. The bamboo mat is about 60 cm above the tea trees. This process is good for keeping the temperature as low as possible and maintaining a few quantity of light which changes the chemical properties of the tea trees, more chlorophyll and more L-Theanine give the tea leaves more tenderness, deep vegetal notes and umami. Producers don't use any machine to harvest the tea everything is made by hand, each buds and young leaf are picked by hand under the bamboo mat. This is called "Hon" Gyokuro which means real Gyokuro in Japanese. But the production is so ridiculous and small because of the cost it's very difficult to sell it for a good price.
Most of the shades used to make Kabuse and Gyokuro nowadays are made using black synthetic fibre covering directly applied to the tea trees. Because of the black colour, it warms a little bit the tea trees so Mr. Henta found something new a synthetic fibre covering with reflectors to maintain a low temperature on the tea plant. He is trying to get closest to the traditional Gyokuro.
This tea is made with Saemidori cultivar, a cultivar from Uji, that is a combination of Yabukita and Asanoka. This tea cultivar loves the southern part of Japan because of its low frost resistance. Saemidori give a lot of umami and when it's shade the umami notes are so powerful and you can feel deep vegetal notes of grass and some sea notes close to the taste of mussels."
Florian Aumaire (Les thés sur terre)
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Gyokuro "Jade Dew" by AN SHIM TEA
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