Organic Gyokuro Saemidori

Japanese Green Tea Gyokuro Semidori BIO

KAGOSHIMA, HARVEST 2024

Gyokuro is a Japanese green tea considered as one of the finest and most precious along with Matcha, it also shares the high price.

One of the main characteristics of Gyokuro tea lies in the cultivation method of its leaves which are shaded about 20 days before harvest. This is a method used for several centuries in Japan. In ancient times only some growers were allowed to do it and they produced the best teas. Today the process has been opened to everyone. As we said about 20 days before the harvest of the leaves, the plants are covered with dark cloths that filter the light, keeping them in the shade.

With this technique, the amino acids in the leaves are increased, in particular L-theanine, and the tea has a sweeter, more umami, and less astringent taste. Matcha also undergoes shading, but different leaves are used and then Matcha is a powdered tea. Gyokuro Tea: taste Gyokuro tea is a very well-balanced tea.

Many Japanese teas tend towards a marked astringency, due to the predominant presence of catechins, Gyokuro has a bit less and has more amino acids. Its taste presents floral notes of the forest and sweet honey. Umami also stands out, especially in the Saemidori cultivar, like the Gyokuro present in our online tea shop. Preparation of Gyokuro green tea To best extract the fantastic liquor of Gyokuro green tea, we recommend first of all water with low fixed residue. Then a Kyusu teapot. - Water at 50°-60°, therefore very low temperature. - Infusion of 2-3 minutes. - One teaspoon per cup What does Gyokuro and Saemidori mean? Gyokuro means Jade drops or Jade dew.

While Saemidori is the name of the cultivar with which this Gyokuro green tea was made.
Saemidori is a cultivar born in the '90s from the crossbreeding of Yabukita and Asatsuyu. It is used in the more central and southern areas of Japan and is highly appreciated for the taste results in the cup. Sae Midori means "light green" and is a cultivar that has very low astringency. Properties of Gyokuro green tea Gyokuro is a green tea that, like all Japanese teas, is rich in catechins and antioxidant polyphenols. A bit less than other teas like Matcha. This is because shaded teas in general have fewer catechins and more amino acids, because there is less photosynthesis. In return, they have a more balanced taste.

If we have piqued your curiosity and you wish to discover other varieties of Japanese teas, visit our shop's dedicated section!