Sencha spotlight: 玉露「Gyokuro」
Type of sencha: 玉露「Gyokuro」 Cultivated variety (cultivar): ごこう「Gokou」
Shading period: 23 days
Gyokuro is a shaded variation of Japanese green tea that has earned its reputation for possessing an exquisite and elegant flavour profile.
The production of gyokuro is extremely specific. The leaves must be indirectly shaded for a minimum of 20 days. This 'indirect shading' is achieved through utilising a shelf that is specially built around the targeted tea field. Layers of black gauze cloth are then draped from and around this structure. Indirect shading eliminates the weight and potential friction of the cloth, providing a stress-free environment for the young shoots to grow.
At d:matcha our gyokuro is produced with the gokou cultivar. Native to Kyoto Prefecture, the characteristics of gokou become extremely all the more distinct when the leaves are shaded.
Determining the timing of the harvest for young gokou shoots however, is always a challenge. During the first flush, we constantly monitor the tea fields to discern the right day to harvest. If the young shoots have had the chance to harden, this would result in a gyokuro with a very harsh aroma.
Through utilising the unique features of the gokou cultivar and following the traditional method of production, we hope to produce for you delicious gyokuro unlike any other.
Tips on how to brew gyokuro can be found on our YouTube! [Watch now]
Learn more:
- 2021 Spring Harvest - Gyokuro [Product info]
- The harvesting process for our gyokuro [Watch here]
- Japanese Green Tea - Practical Textbook [Read now]
