I learned something new with this tea. I love it when that happens. I thought gyokuro was a higher grade of sencha. It can be made of sencha but doesn’t have to be. What makes it gyokuro is that the tea bushes are covered for a few days prior to picking. This does some kind of mojo to the taste.
This is my first of this type tea. I have no idea if it is a good representation of gyokuro. I do know I really liked it. I used a cooler white tea type water temperature. Prepared this way it was not bitter. It was smooth, silky, not grassy, and I was happy to see Nina’s mentions in their description that there is a touch of the sea in the flavor. I picked that up before I read it. I love it when that happens.
Gyokuro! mmmmm :)
I like to keep the steep time super short with gyokuro too, about 30 to 45 seconds.
I went two minutes because I didn’t know any better. Next time….
I love Gyokuro. Using a lower water temperature was definitely the right call.