Tea Information:

Leaf Type:  Green

Where to Buy:  Tea Licious

Tea Description:

“Precious Dew” Japan’s pampered child of green tea.

Learn more about this tea here.

Taster’s Review:

Do you like green tea?  Have you ever tried Gyokuro?

Gyokuro – which translates to “jewel dew” – is the gem in the Japanese green tea crown.  It’s so sweet and delicious!  It has a vegetative note, but, it is unlike a typical green tea “vegetative” taste.  It doesn’t taste grassy, exactly, nor does it taste like vegetables – steamed or otherwise – but, it has hints that lean toward a sweet grassy taste and a vegetable broth without tasting quite like either one.

I know that I’ve probably said this before about another Gyokuro that I’ve tried (or maybe more than one other), but this is one of the nicest Gyokuro teas that I’ve tasted.  I say that often, I think, because Gyokuro tea is one of those outstanding teas that taste so remarkable every time you try it, it is almost like nothing you’ve ever tried … even though you’ve tasted Gyokuro before … if that makes sense!  (And by “you” … I mean me.)

The flavor is sweet with a lovely fruit note to it that is almost plum-like, but without the tartness of a plum.  Instead, this is just juicy and sweet.  The texture of the tea is broth-like (thick, smooth and almost even creamy!), which kind of gives it that vegetable broth essence that I mentioned earlier.

I do think it’s important to brew a Gyokuro correctly.  The tea leaves are extremely delicate, and they should be brewed at a low temperature.  The suggested parameters on the Tea Licious website are 185°F but I think that may be too hot.  I prefer to steep Gyokuro at 160°F for just 1 minute and 30 seconds.  This produces a clear, light jade colored liquid that is a pure delight to sip.

If you’ve not tried Gyokuro before (or even if you have), I highly recommend trying this one from Tea Licious!  I think you might fall in love with it just like I have!