Introduction to Gyokuro

Gyokuro is the most precious green tea from Japan. Gyokuro has flavor, health benefits, energy and artisan processing unlike any other tea in the world. The oldest Gyokuro cultivation area is located in Uji, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan, and much of the best quality Gyokuro comes from Uji’s neighboring towns. The unique character of Gyokuro depends on skilled artisan farmers who practice frame and straw shading of tea bushes as well as traditional fertilization techniques developed over many generations. Furthermore, a select group of tea bush varietals and a special curing process of the made tea are the keys to Gyokuro’s exquisite character.

Gyokuro, known as (Precious) Jade Dew Drop, has a pale green, almost clear infusion color with a very thick flavor and mouthfeel. True Gyokuro has a very distinct umami flavor and sweet aftertaste without bitterness or astringency. Umami is one of the basic six flavors: Sweet, Sour, Salty, Umami, Bitter and Spicy. Umami is often translated from Japanese as “savory” and is the basic flavor found in much of Japanese cuisine. Gyokuro has the reputation of containing the most umami flavor of all tea.
(learn more about Umami here: Wikipedia: Umami.)

The flavor of Gyokuro is developed by artisan farming techniques of shading the sun’s light and providing specific nutrition geared toward the tea bush variety and the unique growing conditions of a shaded tea garden. Tea bushes thrive on sunlight, and shading creates a stressful environment for the tea bush. The proper shading and fertilization of a Gyokuro garden is essential and directly impacts the quality and flavor of Gyokuro.

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