Yame Dento Hon Gyokuro

Yame Dento Hon Gyokuro

Regular price $30.00
/
  • 20 grams
  • Single Origin | Single Cultivar
  • Ships from the United States
  • In stock, ready to ship
  • Inventory on the way

An award-winning tea that embodies the pinnacle of gyokuro production. Rich in umami, yet mellow and sweet, with a long finish unique to straw-shaded teas.

Gyokuro must meet some specific requirements to be called Yame Dento Hon Gyokuro. Of course, it must be grown and produced in Yame, Fukuoka. It must also be shaded for over 16 days under honzu straw shading.

Honzu (本簀) shading is the most traditional shading method. Dating back at least over 400 years, the Honzu method uses the same shelf system as kanreisha but uses a screen of reeds as the first layer of shading instead of synthetic fabric. Though considerably more labour intensive and expensive to construct, the reed screen allows for even more air and moisture to circulate around the plants producing higher-quality, more complex teas. The straw also acts as a moisture regulator, absorbing excess humidity. Additional layers of shading are added by placing straw mats on top of the reed screen.

Then, the tea must be hand-picked. While most gyokuro uses a rather open pick of one bud and 3-5 leaves, this gyokuro from Kumaen employed a very fine isshin-niyou (一心二葉 - one bud and two leaves) picking.

Naturally, the processing and finishing must also be at the highest standards.


Cultivar: Saemidori

Region: Yame, Fukuoka

Producer: Kumaen

Harvested: April 18, 2023

Elevation: 350m

Shading: 17 Days; Honzu

Picking: Hand-picked

Brewing Instructions

Tea/Water Ratio

4g per 50ml of water
(.14oz per 1.7oz)

Water Temperature

45º C (113ºF)

Brewing Time

2 minutes 30 seconds

Meet the Producer

Yamecha Kumaen (八女茶くま園)

Cultivar: Saemidori

Saemidori was registered in 1990, 21 years after it was first bred from a cross between Asatsuyu and Yabukita. With the intent of combining the high-quality taste of Asatsuyu with the high yield and frost resistance of Yabukita, Saemidori is a popular cultivar for sencha, fukamushicha, and gyokuro in the more southern tea producing regions, such as Kagoshima and Fukuoka. With a name meaning ‘clear green’, Saemidori is known for is vibrant colour, high umami, and low astringency

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We're working with small tea farmers who are passionate about their craft, and working towards a goal⁠—whether it's to preserve and perfect age-old traditions, to experiment and push the boundaries of Japanese tea, or to create a more sustainable and biodynamic future for the industry. 
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