The dry leaves of this tea look like a bunch of macerated pine needles in colour and shape. I think the leaves would have been bigger normally, but sample packs tend to get squished and this one has been in my cupboard for a fair amount of time. The leaves turned a vibrant jungle-green as they steeped and gave off a rather savoury aroma.
The tea is a lime green colour I don’t think I’ve ever seen in another tea and the flavour is distinctly ‘umami’ to my tastebuds. I’ve only ever had one other gyokuro, but I recall that it had a sweetness to it that this tea lacks. It has a lightly grassy aftertaste with hint of bitterness which makes me wonder if I screwed up the steeping somehow – maybe I steeped it for too long?
Preparation
140 °F / 60 °C
2 min, 0 sec
