- Tea variety
- 玉露
Gyokuro
The tea of the shade, close to broth.
Flavor profile
The strengths are editorial judgments on a scale within the family, not measurements. They can be compared across the green tea varieties, not directly against another family.
Gyokuro is Japan's most esteemed shade-grown leaf tea. The bushes are covered for about three weeks before harvest, which raises the level of umami compounds in the leaf and softens the bitterness. The result is a thick, almost broth-like sweetness that demands low water temperature and patience, and rewards both.
Sensory analysis
Pyramid and character
Aroma
dry leaf and freshly brewed
- kelp
- seaweed
- sweet hay
Cup
mid-sip
- broth
- thick sweetness
Finish
what lingers
- very long
- umami-driven
Character 0-100 per axis, set relative to the other entries in the same family. An editorial judgment of a typical serving, not measurements.
Background
Facts
- Processing
- like sencha (steamed, rolled), but from shade-grown leaves
- Shading
- about 20 days or more before harvest
- Caffeine
- high for a brewed tea; shading raises the caffeine level in the leaf
- Origin
- the Uji area is historically associated with the style; Yame is today one of the best-known areas
In the cup
Brewing
- Temperature
- 50-60°C
- Time
- about 2 minutes
- Note
- low temperature draws out the umami and holds back the bitterness; small pots and small sips are part of the style
Keep exploring