GYOKURO

REGION: 

YAME

ORGANIC: 

NO

WEIGHT: 

8g

Competition Dento Hon Gyokuro Description An exclusive and precious gem - the very essence of umami. Tea master Kiya san and IKKYU are delighted to present you the 2021 edition of the Kirari 31 dento hon gyokuro that won the first place at Japan’s 74th National Tea Competition in 2020. Grown and produced thanks to the incredible skills of Jiyo Masafumi san in Kuroki village in Yame, who has won this competition seven years in a row, it is simply the best gyokuro of Japan. Kirari 31 is the rare cultivar used to make the most exclusive green tea of Japan. With only 4-5 kilos made each year by this producer, this gyokuro can be compared to caviar, champagne or liquid gold, and is usually presented to national tea fair competitions. The main feature of this single-origin gyokuro is its exceptional level of umami, thanks to the thicker mesophyll compared to what you can find in the already highly rated Saemidori cultivar (mesophyll is the inner tissue of a leaf, that contains many chloroplasts). Combined with less astringency, dento hon gyokuro made from Kirari 31 yields a rich and sweet liquor with a long finish. In line with the traditions behind the making of every Yame dento hon gyokuro, its tea leaves were hand-picked one by one by Jiyo san and his wife during the first harvest, in steep tea fields at 300 meters above sea level. Jiyo san added micro-organisms to his soil to improve its quality. If you’d like to learn more about Yame dento hon gyokuro, you can visit our special page about Gyokuro here and also our Yame tea page. Please also watch the interview of Kiya san explaining about the parallels between green tea (especially gyokuro) and wine. In his interview, Kiya san brews this Kirari 31 gyokuro. For more details about the producer and his achievement in 2020, see these articles (in Japanese) : Asahi Shimbun & JA Fukuoka Yame. Origin100% Japanese tea from Kuroki village in  YameQuality and TypeCompetition-grade Dento Hon GyokuroHarvest2021 Cultivar Kirari 31 Organic No Tasting Notes sweetness A sweet-tasting tea is a very light tea that leaves a sensation of natural sweetness in the mouth. UMAMI Although there is no official translation of the word “umami”, some call it “savory taste”: it leaves a mild and lasting pleasant brothy after taste and is recognized as one of the five basic tastes (together with sweetness, sourness, bitterness, and saltiness). It also induces salivation and a furriness sensation on the tongue, stimulating the throat, the roof and the back of the mouth.  BITTERNESS The natural bitterness of green tea comes from the way it is made. Unlike black and oolong teas, green teas are made from the unfermented leaves of the tea plant, which keeps the antioxidants intact, but also gives them the bitter taste. This bitterness can be regulated with the water temperature : the higher the more bitter and vice-versa. CAFFEINE Caffeine is a naturally-occurring stimulant, found in several plants. Caffeine is water soluble, and is extracted into the brewed cup when preparing tea. In most cases, tea has much less caffeine than coffee. CATECHINS Catechins are a type of polyphenol (EGCG) and are the main astringency component in green tea, long known as tannins. In order to release more catechins you will need higher brewing temperature at around 80 but this will also increase the astringency and bitterness of your tea because of the caffeine. Dont use such temperatures for Gyokuro. THEANINE L-theanine (here referred to as theanine) is an amino acid that has a relaxing, but not sedating, effect. It is renowned for its ability to put you in the ideal state of calm attentiveness. It can sharpen focus, while reducing stress and enhancing overall well-being. Theanine can interact with caffeine, allowing a smaller dose of caffeine to have a stronger effect in terms of boosting concentration and alertness. FRAGRANCE The fragrance of a cup of green tea can vary from a highly roasted aroma to a fresh one. Preparation 1st Brew *Given the low water temperature, don't forget to pre-heat your teaware to enjoy your gyokuro at a warm temperature. Pour hot water in your cup(s) and tea pot before starting your brewing.  Tea3g /0.10oz per cup Water15 ml / 0.51oz per cup Temperature40-50C / 104-122F Brewing120s Preparation 2nd Brew Tea3g /0.10oz per cup Water15 ml / 0.51oz per cup Temperature40-50C / 104-122F Brewing60s Preparation 3rd Brew Tea3g /0.10oz per cup Water15 ml / 0.51oz per cup Temperature40-50C / 104-122F Brewing60s DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS & PRODUCT SHEET (PDF) Selected By Kiya Yasuhiko Kiya Yasuhiko the Third (heir and third owner of Kiya-horyouen) is a certified Japanese Tea Appraiser (out of a total of 39 in Japan). He works to spread new ideas and concepts about Japanese tea and promote Yame tea, gyokuro and tea culture in general. We are honored to propose Kiya san’s incredible teas and be able to collaborate together on new ways to enjoy green tea by going beyond the traditional approach. Kiya san has developed exclusive teas for IKKYU. His deep and unique knowledge of tea along with the quality of Kiya san’s products will lift you to the highest levels of Japanese green tea. Conservation & Packing Unopened8 months Opened2 weeks Resealable vacuum bag, or aluminium bag with neutral gaz for best preservation. Reviews Related Products

PLAIN BAG :

50 USD

WASHI WRAPPED: