Kurihara Tea #16: Competition Grade Saemidori Heritage Gyokuro

Tea type
Green Tea
Ingredients
Not available
Flavors
Broth, Salt, Savory, Stewed Vegetables, Umami
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Loose Leaf
Caffeine
Not available
Certification
Not available
Edit tea info Last updated by Marshall Weber
Average preparation
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  • “Next sample from Yunomi and this one is also great! I think they must have changed how they label Kurihara’s teas, as I do not recall the numbering system when I last purchased from them. I believe...” Read full tasting note
    94

From Yunomi

Gyokuro tea is grown beneath shading, cutting out some 85% of the sunlight. This allows the leaves to mature without obtaining bitterness. The results is an ultra delicate green tea with an extremely sweet and complex taste profile. The Kurihara family’s Heritage Gyokuro is grown beneath traditional, handmade bamboo and/or straw shading. The moisture that drips from this natural shading flavors the tea — a return to the past with this gourmet tea.

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1 Tasting Note

94
178 tasting notes

Next sample from Yunomi and this one is also great! I think they must have changed how they label Kurihara’s teas, as I do not recall the numbering system when I last purchased from them. I believe they sold a gyokuro that just went by the name “Kurihara Heritage Gyokuro.” Regardless, this tea is certainly different from that one.

Brewed 6 g in 100 mL for 14 mins at 75 degrees F, then 2:30 at 120 F, then 3:00 at 120 F, then 2:30 at 160 F. This brewing style works wonders. The first brew is still packed with L-theanine energy, though perhaps a bit more tame than the last gyokuro I had from Kurihara. The brew is crystal clear jade dew. The latter brews produce the deepest green liquor I’ve ever seen and no off notes. Packed with umami flavor throughout.

Absolutely no bitterness. A very slight touch of astringency on the last infusion. No sweetness either. Mouthfeel is full and lively. 4 infusions. Great value at $0.62/g.

Harvest: Late May – Early June, 2024
Cultivar: Saemidori
Location: Yabemura Village, Yame, Fukuoka
Altitude: 300-700 m

Dry leaf: Vegetal, umami
Wet leaf: Same
Flavors: Umami, stewed vegetables, broth, salty, energizing, savory

Flavors: Broth, Salt, Savory, Stewed Vegetables, Umami

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