Our Gyokuro is grown and harvested in Kagoshima Prefecture, a pristine area of Japan surrounded by immense natural beauty and enriched with volcanic soil. Elmwood founders Bruce and Shelley Richardson visited Master Sakamoto's incredible garden on the island of Kyushu and were interviewed on Japanese television. Sakamoto is passionate about the quality of his soil, which is the richest we have seen.
Gyokuro, one of the highest grades of Japanese tea, is harvested only once a year in early spring. Its delicate flavor and slightly sweet aftertaste make It the choice of green tea connoisseurs. It is also perfect for cold-steeping! Because it is shade-grown, this tea has the highest concentration of the catechin EGCG, one of the most powerful antioxidants found in plants.
Of utmost importance, severe shading helps create more umami flavor—a taste unique to Japan—as the plant stores additional L-theanine in the leaf. L-theanine is an amino acid that mostly develops in the roots of the tea plant. As it moves into the tea leaves, it reduces back to the previous components, which, when exposed to sunlight, help form catechins. Shading, therefore, prevents the creation of catechins that can give tea an astringent or bitter taste.
Yields multiple infusions. Steep like a tea professional, and never use boiling water on green tea. Using our Cold-Steep Flask Pitcher, you can make great cold-steeped green tea. Just add water and refrigerate overnight!
*According to the FDA, Consuming Just Two Cups of Black or Green Tea Daily Reduces the Risk of Heart Disease and Diabetes.
