Kazuhiro - A Gyokuro - Japanese Green Tea
Introducing Kazuhiro the most exquisite organic Japanese Gyokuro. With aromatic notes of wildflowers and dried honey that balance with refined notes of steamed asparagus. First harvest tea. The perfect way to start your day.
First flush (shincha 2023)
KAZUHIRO is a unique organic gyokuro made with a blend of Asatsuyu and Yabukita cultivars. The craftsmanship of Tsuru-san and his son comes through beautifully when preparing this tea. Aromatic notes of wildflowers and dried honey balance harmoniously with refined notes of steamed asparagus. This tea has a subtle elegance hidden within its smooth and vibrant emerald liquor.
Organic gyokuro is as hard to find as a white elephant, because it requires even more hard work than normal gyokuro, which is already one of the most demanding green teas.
Gyokuro is the king of Japanese green teas and is a delicate and exclusive beverage that requires enormous amounts of skill and work. It’s so rare because it’s so difficult to make.
This delicate tea brews to a beautiful shade of emerald green, and has an exquisite flavor that makes it one of the world’s most sought after varieties.
Many gyokuro available at IKKYU have received the highest awards in Japan. Gyokuro from Yame is the most appreciated of all Japan and is praised for its exceptional quality. Its mild astringency and rich flavor make it an absolute delight to drink.
The tea leaves are cultivated using a special method where the young leaves are shaded from direct sunlight for around twenty days. Shading is usually done through dark plastic sheet, but in Yame, traditional farmers will use natural rice straw to make ‘Dento Hon Gyokuro’, the highest label of quality. This method creates an incredibly rich flavor profile with notes of sweetness and earthiness which balances out to create an exquisite cup of tea.
Compared to sencha, gyokuro tends to be smoother, more full-bodied, and less astringent. Gyokuro is also much richer than sencha in umami, due to its high levels of theanine. Thanks to the shading process, the rate of photosynthesis is significantly reduced, and less theanine gets converted into other compounds.
Brewing Instructions (Japanese Method)
Tea for 2
6g (approx 2 heaped teaspoons)
180ml of water at 60C
2 minutes for the first brew, 1 minute for the second brew.
Ensure you empty the teapot of tea after each brew to avoid over steeping.
Brewing Instructions (Kyushi Wellness method)
We brew 6g per 250ml cup or 12g per 500ml teapot
We recommend a large mesh tea strainer like this one or a teapot.
If you don’t have a temperature controlled kettle similar to this one, pour cold water onto the leaves prior to pouring boiling water on top almost 50:50 cold to hot water for your first brew to get the very most out of this beautiful tea.
Where does Kazuhiro come from?
The Tsuru Cha En plantation was founded in 1959 by the father of the current business owner, Tsuru Kazuyuki san. Since Tsuru san took over the operations in 2007, the tea production has switched to a 100% chemical and pesticide-free process. In 2017, they received the Special Farming Products Certification from Saga prefecture. Today, Tsuru san is one of only four green tea producers in Kyushu, along with Irie san in Yame, who grows tea in a completely pesticide-free manner, bringing him 'above' organic standards.
Tsuru san explains: "More than 80% of our tea trees are over fifty years old. Our constant care and pruning have allowed their roots to go deep in the ground, and benefit from all the advantages of a soil rich in nutrients. The trees absorb large quantities of minerals, making them resistant to insects and illness, even without the use of any pesticides.
We grow our leaves in a pesticide-free environment, in a location high in the mountains, where a large temperature difference and deep mists make it possible for the leaves to create the nutrients that will yield a sweet and umami-rich tea."
Net Weight: 50g
Harvest: 2023
Origin: 100% Japanese tea from Saga
Quality and type: Premium Gyokuro
Organic: Yes Special Farming Products Certification from Saga Prefecture
Cultivars: Asatsuyu, Yabukita
Conservation: 1 year unopened
Optimal tasting: within 6 weeks after opening