Kuradashi Gyokuro Pinnacle (40g/1.41oz)

If you are a Gyokuro lover, you may know of Kuradashi Gyokuro. It gains an enriched flavor and deep noble aroma and sweetness over time. Our Kuradashi Tea is aged in the granary for more than 1.5 years. (For more information, visit What’s Kuradashi Tea page.)

Tea leaves for this special tea grow in the Ogura area in the Uji region, which is known as one of the foremost production centers of the highest grade of enriched Gyokuro. Ogura is the location where Gyokuro and Matcha were first grown. High quality Gyokuro and Matcha need to be fertilized about three times as much as other teas. Ogura is located at the southern edge of the Kyoto Basin, where the capital of Japan had been for a very long time. Fortunately the Kyoto Basin was rich in vitamins and minerals which provided nutrients to the growing tea plants.

"Honzu" is a very special way to create a canopy to shade tea plants from sunlight. It is the most traditional way from long ago, and these days it is very rare to see, even in the Uji region. In the "Honzu" method, tea farmers build a structure to provide shade to the tea trees using only reeds and straw. This special structure is an important factor in creating the noble flavor and sweetness of the highest grade enriched Gyokuro and Matcha. In the Ogura area, there is a large pond where thick reeds grow. These reeds were ideal for providing shade to the tea plants. The farmers harvested the reeds and used them to cover the tea plants to shade them from the sunlight. (For more information concerning "Honzu", click here.)

Each leaf of this top quality tea is specially selected and carefully picked by our farmers' skilled hands. This special tea is a blend of two breeds, Samidori and Gokoh, both known for their noble taste and aroma. It is said that Samidori and Gokoh are most suitable for enriched Gyokuro. Samidori and Gokoh are grown only in small amounts mainly in the Uji region in Kyoto. It is an important feature of these two breeds of tea leaves that they gain an enriched flavor and sweetness over time.
We have enriched this highest grade of Gyokuro for one and a half years.

Kuradashi Gyokuro is different from ordinary Gyokuro in aroma and flavor, so it may be enjoyable for you to compare this tea with regular Gyokuro. The superb enriched and sweetened flavor and aroma of this special tea lingers in the mouth for a while. The aroma is full, but not too strong. The flavor is rich and subtle. The taste is both mellow and enhanced.

To grow the finest-quality Kuradashi Gyokuro takes not only time and effort but also tea trees passed down from prior generations, geographically and historical features, and technical succession – it must be by the very grace of God that we can all enjoy excellent Kuradashi Gyokuro of this quality! And it is available only this autumn season, just once a year!