Gyokuro, the grand vintage of green teas
Gyokuro or “pearl of dew” in Japanese is considered to be the great vintage of Japanese green teas for its unique fragrance. It is a premium tea that is drunk not to quench thirst but to savor its intense flavor.
It can therefore be enjoyed on special occasions such as the New Year, a very important time of the year for the Japanese. The particularly noble and rich taste of Gyokuro makes it the ideal drink to solemnly honor the transition to the new year.
Gyokuro differs from other teas in its cultivation, manufacturing and preparation.
Its particularity is that it is covered before harvesting in order to be hidden from the sun. This agricultural method makes it possible to slow down the development of catechin and obtain less bitterness. The Gyokuro is then steamed, rolled, dried and then stored for a few months for a refining process. The care taken in its manufacture is what makes it possible to obtain a high quantity of “umami”, translating as “tasty taste”. Umami is what gives a soft and sweet taste to Gyokuro and gives this tea a very rich and pleasant fragrance on the palate.
Its preparation is carried out unlike other green teas, with a flat teapot. This shape of teapot allows the Gyokuro leaves to spread their scents more easily.