GYOKURO KARIGANE | Shibushi

The Gyokuro Karigane tea, crafted from a blend of Gyokuro leaves and stems, is an exceptional tea type among the farmers' produce. The tea's stems, which constitute about 80% of the blend, are sourced from their own premium Gyokuro and contribute to the tea's sweetness, owing to their high concentration of L-Theanine amino acids. To promote the production of these amino acids and enhance the sweetness, the tea plants are shaded for twenty days before harvesting.

Compared to other green-leaf teas, the Gyokuro Karigane has a low caffeine content, though it still contains more caffeine than the Kukicha (stem tea). The tea's flavour is characterized by a delightful Umami, and the stems lend it a milder taste, making it an excellent tea for unwinding later in the day. The tea's unique flavour is characterized by a delightful Umami taste that's both sweet and full-bodied, with notes of chlorophyll. Furthermore, the addition of a hay-like aroma towards the end accentuates the tea's flavour. Notably, this tea is a preferred choice for cold brews among farmers.

For an optimal brewing experience, we recommend steeping 5g of the tea leaves in 150ml of 65-70°C water for 60 seconds. Alternatively, you could brew the tea as a Gyokuro by using 6g of tea leaves with just 30ml of 50°C water and steeping for two minutes.

About the Tea Garden

Cultivar: Blend - Saemidori, Kirari31, Haruto34

Method: JAS organic certification

Origin: Shibushi, Kagoshima

Grade: Premium

Elevation: 190mt above sea level

Harvest: First flush, Spring 2022

Shade: 20 days before harvest - Shading technique: Jikagise and Tana

Fertilizing: Bokashi, organic fertilizer, sedimentary rock, composted soybeans, rice bran

Steaming: Medium (futsūmushi)

Flavour profile: Refined, gentle, pleasantly sweet, strong Umami flavour with no bitterness, chlorophyll notes

Producer: Sakamoto family

Content: 20g - 50g