This Gyokuro (Jade Dew) has been grown by 3rd generation green tea master Tohei-san. He is regarded as one of the best tea makers in Japan, winning the tea championships 3 years in a row! Tohei-san's cultivates Gyokuro according to the traditional tana method of shading tea bushes with woven straw-thatch mats called komo, which he makes himself. This method is as old school as they get and rarely seen anywhere in Japan. The brisk mountain freshness and long lasting umami shines through in this years harvest.
Tohei-san has been making tea for more than 60 years and uses hand made Komo mats to shade the tea in the final three weeks leading to harvest creating a smooth, oily, lasting umami taste. This mind-blowing tea provides incredible flavours of crushed oyster shell, sea kelp, mushroom, fresh cut hay and an elegant bittersweetness... umami level 10000!
“make Gyokuro for the enjoyment of others, don’t be too concerned with money, take pride in the tea"
- Master Mr. Tohei Maejima
Here's a video of the master himself! *Sorry, no subtitles