Description
The Gyokuro is a "shaded tea": the tea plants are covered over 30 days before the leaves are harvested in order to obtain an intense aromatic concentration, a powerful umami taste and a highly soft texture. The name of this tea means "Pearls of dew" in honour of its delicacy.
It is one of Japan's finest teas, and this Gyokuro is particularly exceptional. It is produced in Hebizuka, and it is harvested at 800 metres above sea level. This plot of land is one of the highest in Japan. This Grand Cru is known as "Honyama Cha", or Honyama Tea. Honyama Cha is the name given to all the crops harvested along the Abekawa and Warashinagawa rivers. Honyama is famous for its rich soil and the perennial fog that envelops its plantations and results in ideal tea plant growth.
It is produced from the Kurasawa and Sayama cultivars by Mr. Nakamura. The leaves are picked manually, which is particularly uncommon in Japan.
Among the finest Japanese green teas, it unveils a fresh vegetal, marine and floral bouquet, boasting a rounded, thick texture and an intense umami taste. An exceptional tea.
It is ideal for those who want to brew tea the traditional way using a Kyusu. It is also possible to make cold brew tea by replacing the water with ice cubes. The infusion is finished when the ice cubes have completely melted, and you will obtain a concentrated, intense liqueur that is as rare as jade dew.
Special qualities
- Origin:
- Shizuoka, Japan
- Tea colour:
- Green tea (shaded tea)
Tasting notes
Feuille sèche
- Appearance: highly regular fine needles
- Colour: dark green, glossy
- Scents: vegetal, floral, butter
Infusion
- Scents: vegetal, floral, marine, milky
Liqueur
- Colour: light jade
- Texture: oily
- Flavours: intense umami
- Aromas: floral, buttery, almond milk, scallops, moshi, fresh vegetal, vanilla finish
- Aromatic profile and length in the mouth: this highly fine Grand Cru combines excellent aromatic complexity with an uncommonly round and thick texture and an umami taste with a long finish. Its aromatic notes are floral, vegetal, gourmet and marine, with a delicate vanilla note with a long finish when tasting. A remarkable Gyokuro that won't be soon forgotten
Suggestion of preparation
With the tasting set: 2'30 minutes in water heated to 50°C.
With the Kyusu / Shiboridashi by successive infusions of 1 minute.
Grands Crus: savour the exceptional
Rare and ephemeral, teas identified as Grands Crus by Palais des Thés are the result of alchemy between a tea plant variety, its terroir and the talent of an artisan grower. Meticulously plucked, processed and sourced in the most respected tea gardens, our Grands Crus unveil unique flavours that reflect the refinement of their origins.