Gyokuro - an exquisite tea
What is gyokuro green tea?
The name gyokuro, which translates to "jade dew" or "dewdrop", comes from the shape of the tea leaves once dried, and the green colour of the brewed tea. Nowadays, its leaves look more like fine needles. Gyokuro is a green tea whose uniqueness lies in its production process, giving it an unmistakable, multi-layered, intensely vegetal flavour with a hint of sweetness and the fifth taste, umami. The infusion has an intensely green colour, thanks to the high chlorophyll content in the tea leaves. Moya's gyokuro green tea is grown in the Kagoshima region, in the south of Japan's Kyushu island. Gyokuro's caffeine level isn't as high as matcha's, but drinking larger amounts of the infusion can happily replace coffee and give you an energy boost. Moya's online shop offers high-quality tea, so you can celebrate special moments at home with this exquisite brew.
How is gyokuro made?
Gyokuro is one of the most exquisite Japanese green teas, largely because of the complex cultivation process behind it, similar to the traditional method used for powdered matcha tea. Before harvesting, the bushes destined to become gyokuro are covered with special mats and kept in shade for around three weeks. During this process, compared to unshaded cultivation, the leaves produce more chlorophyll, amino acids and caffeine, which later remain present in the green tea leaves. Producing the final, top-quality product requires a great deal of time, attention and precision devoted to the bushes. The leaves used to make it are carefully selected, which is why many consider gyokuro the healthiest, most exquisite Japanese green tea. Drinking this green tea doesn't just offer an unforgettable taste experience – it's also a unique part of Japanese history and culture.
The properties of gyokuro tea
In Japan, gyokuro green tea isn't an everyday drink. It's reserved for special, meaningful occasions, when it's brewed with great precision, given how valuable the product is. This makes for a wonderful mindfulness practice. Once brewed, you can focus on its aroma, its colour, and how gently it delights the taste buds. That's when you'll truly notice this tea's characteristic fifth taste, umami, along with a hint of the sea. Drinking tea mindfully is a form of meditation, one where it's worth engaging your different senses and focusing your mind on the here and now. It's sure to bring a sense of calm, quiet your thoughts and ease stress levels. Gyokuro Japanese green tea itself has plenty of health benefits too. It's rich in antioxidants, which have a positive effect on the immune system, while the caffeine it contains speeds up the metabolism and provides an energy boost.
How to prepare this green tea
If you want to fully enjoy this tea's great potential, it's worth preparing it correctly. Temperature is the most important factor here. Gyokuro is a very delicate, exquisite tea, and brewing it at too high a temperature risks losing both its properties and its flavour. The water used for brewing shouldn't exceed 60-70 degrees. Don't throw away the leaves after one use – they can be brewed again up to 4 or even 5 more times. Brew for 1 to 3 minutes, depending on your own preference. If you follow these few simple rules, your gyokuro tea will taste wonderful.
