Gyokuro Premium (100g/3.53oz) Reviews

Nickname	T Rich (United States)
Review	Umami, thick, green in the cup after the 1st elution...just the essence of green tea for me. The taste, mouth feel, color seem to deepen with progressive steeps. It's hard to believe there are even higher grades of gyokuro above this, and one day I will try those, but I am so happy with this Premium. I've tried brewing this tea a few different ways, and I definitely recommend experimenting a little. I also enjoy sencha (and fukamushi sencha), so I was comfortable experimenting even if it resulted in a tad bit of astringency. With that in mind, I'll describe my favorite way to brew this gyokuro so far. Note: my 'setup' includes a small Hall 'Boston' shaped porcelain teapot (similar in size and function as many Kyusu), which I pour through a small mesh filter into a cup or vessel. I use softened municipal water. Start: 4 to 5 tsp added to teapot that was pre-warmed at 150F. (I also have had very good results by adding 1 tsp of gyokuro karigane Premium which adds sweetness) First steep: ~200 mL water about 1 minute at 150F. Yellowish broth is obtained, very umami and completely smooth with no astringency. Second steep: ~200 mL about 30-45 seconds at 150F. Broth changes quickly to green with tiny specks, this is smooth and lighter on umami taste but the flavor is more ‘wide.’ Third steep (less water): ~150 mL for 1 minute at 150F. Similar flavor result to second steep, but a bit greener depth in color and more sediment usually, thicker soup as well. Minimal bit of astringency for me at this stage sometimes, which I find is an enhancement. Fourth steep (warmer and less water): ~100 mL (enough to cover leaves plus a bit extra) at 162F for 60s or so. Drain as much water as possible without disturbing the leaves much. This steep elutes deep green and VERY thick, soft-tasting tea with a tiny bit of astringency that I enjoy. I often combine this steep with the third (and fifth) steep in a collection vessel to enjoy together. There are usually many small bubbles on the top of the leaf pile in the teapot, and when present, I perform a fifth steep. Fifth steep: Just enough to cover leaves completely, at 162 (or up to 170F) for 60s or maybe longer. I then use the teaspoon to agitate the leaves a bit and then press them during the teapot pour to get as much liquid out as possible. This is very deep green with lots of extremely fine sediment that just looks amazing with a cloudy broth. I combine this together with the third and/or fourth steep depending on how much I drink while brewing. It is VERY thick in the mouth. If you enjoy Japanese green tea, or you aren’t sure where to start, I think you can’t go wrong with this gyokuro. Just mind the temperature for brewing and have fun trying a few methods!
Rating	Very bad... Bad... Very bad... Ordinary... Good... 5 of 5 Stars!
Date	October 09, 2025

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