Gyokuro from Shizuoka, 50g

Green tea very rich in umami Gyokuro is what we call “shaded tea”: as soon as the buds appear, or at the latest three weeks before harvest, the tea plants are protected from sunlight. They grow under increasingly tight nets, the blocked radiation rising from about 70% at the beginning to over 90% at the end.

Photosynthesis naturally produces catechin that are a source of astringency; by shading tea plants, the production of catechin is slowed down while the proportion of theanine, a source of umami, increases. This is the reason why some Japanese tea, like Gyokuro, but also Kabusecha or Matcha, are partly grown in the dark. This extra work also leads to higher price.

Shipped directly from Mr. Hattori's tea farm in Shizuoka, Japan.

50°C 1dl,
1st infusion 120 sec.
2nd infusion 60 sec. (+ 5 - 10°C)
3rd infusion 30 sec. (+ 5 - 10°C)