2 Tasting Notes
I love the Japanese green teas!there is rarely a day I go without a pot or 2 of whatever genmaicha I happen to have around! but its on rare days that I decide to break into my small stash of happy lucky’s gyokuro. this one I have had iced as a “shinobi” brew, in a ceramic pot, and a cast iron pot. and in case you have never heard of a shinobi brew its when place just ice cubes in a pot with the gyokuro and as it melts that will be your tea. its worth experimenting, but I personally love and prefer it hot! when brewed just right the green color is lovely, and there is not to much leafy bits in it either. its got a fresh grassy-ish flavor of a good japanese green. but beware! this tea will not tolerate anything less than perfection! leave it for a few to many seconds or not let the water cool enough it will let you know. this is one of my favorites, and it will be a sad day when I finally run out of happy lucky’s gyokuro, and will have to move on to another brand.
I let the water cool before adding my tea, so chances are that the water was a bit cooler than instructed- but when it comes to white I much rather under do than over! I was very satisfied with the flavor of both the first and second steeping. first time I was a bit surprised that it had more flavor than I expected! if seemed sweet and flowery on its own. first seeping also had another flavor that I’m not eloquent enough to describe in few words, so I’ll just say this- it tasted like the smell of butterflies. that’s not just some fluffy simile either! lovely like a slightly buggy pollen. it was very nice! but its pretty pricey, as expected from a straight white tea. I will certainly enjoy it on special occasion or when I need soft nudge on a bad day.
