Thanks for the sample, SLL! I’ve never tried a gyokuro before and I’m not a big green tea drinker, but hey, I’ll try anything once! I feel like maybe I’ve heard that gyokuro is kind of a fancy, high society tea. The description says it is exceptional, so I might be right!
The dry leaf is a very vibrant green color and chopped up like confetti. It smells nutty and buttery, like a pastry! Actually, it smells just like shortbread cookies! Yum!
The recommended steeping parameters call for a water temperature between 120 and 140 degrees F, but it turns out my kettle won’t set below 140F. Fortunately, it will display the temperature as it gradually heats up, so I unplugged it when it said 130F! SSL also recommends a 5-minute steeping time for the first infusion. 5 minutes for a green tea? That’s long!
The wet leaf smells vegetal. The liquor is a light yellow-green color. It tastes like something out of the ocean, minus the salt, like seaweed, and it’s also nutty, creamy, and buttery. It has a lightweight mouthfeel. The only weird thing for me was the water temperature is a little low for my taste…I like my tea a little hotter. Overall, it’s very different than other green teas I’ve had and I quite like it!
Pic of the leaf:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/97273956@N03/16505835235/
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Gyokuro is my favorite green tea! Glad you liked it! The Teavana one only calls for a 45 second to 1 minute steep, I’m surprised they called for 4-5 minutes. I steep it a little warmer as well…140F is too low for my taste also!
It didn’t get dark or bitter at 5 minutes, so I think it was right for this one at least. I’ll have to try it at a little higher temp next time!
Sounds great! I’m still waiting to try this one…just sounds like such an afternoon tea for me, and I’ve been spending all my afternoons away from home (and any hope of water temperature control!) lately.
Nice! I did do some longer steeps, and it was still nice and sweet. I’ll have to try this gyokuro!
I love gyokuro. I usually go with a bit warmer water and very short steeps. I wish I could drink it more often, but I find with the gyokuro I have, the caffeine hits me like a freight train.
Gyokuro is my favorite green tea! Glad you liked it! The Teavana one only calls for a 45 second to 1 minute steep, I’m surprised they called for 4-5 minutes. I steep it a little warmer as well…140F is too low for my taste also!
It didn’t get dark or bitter at 5 minutes, so I think it was right for this one at least. I’ll have to try it at a little higher temp next time!
Sounds great! I’m still waiting to try this one…just sounds like such an afternoon tea for me, and I’ve been spending all my afternoons away from home (and any hope of water temperature control!) lately.
Nice! I did do some longer steeps, and it was still nice and sweet. I’ll have to try this gyokuro!
I love gyokuro. I usually go with a bit warmer water and very short steeps. I wish I could drink it more often, but I find with the gyokuro I have, the caffeine hits me like a freight train.