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Thursday, April 1, 2010

Ippodo Gyokuro Kakurei

From Hagi in Use

It is spring and that says Green tea, to some people. While I am excited about the incoming new harvests, and hopefully Shincha getting in within the next two months, it is time to try and clear out some old stock. Japanese greens I seem to have no problems finishing, as this is my last bag and its close to half finished already.

Chinese greens are sadly a bit different, I have plenty of Everyday Dragonwell, and Bi Lo Chun.


The aroma of this tea is impeccable, and very characteristic of a Japanese green, sweet and slightly grassy/vegetal. The taste is quite good for a gyokuro of its price per gram. Great dose of umami but rounded out nicely with a great sweetness. It does a good job sticking to the tongue and mouth, and it sticks around with a flavor that is rather biting and reminiscent of strong spinach.


Green before the grass,
soon the northern breeze will quit,
promoting the tea.
--Adam Yusko

1 comment:

Alex Zorach said...

I know what you mean about occasionally ending up with teas that are hard to use up.

I love Chinese green teas; I think most of my favorite green teas are actually Chinese, but my favorites aren't Dragonwells or Bi Lo Chuns...sometimes I think that the market abounds with mediocre teas that bear those names because the names are well-known. Several Chinese students have told me that they think it's nearly impossible to get good Bi Lo Chun in the U.S. and almost as hard with the Dragonwell. While I don't think this is strictly true I think there's some truth to the statement.

Today I drank Wuyuan Ruikang Hairpoint from Upton Tea Imports. Another tea I really like is Rishi's Jade Cloud, which is from Hubei. (Links are to my reviews.) Overall, the best experiences I've had buying Chinese green teas have been with more esoteric varieties, many of which I've never heard of before buying or trying them.

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