Gyokuro Uji Goko

Tea Type: Green Tea

Tea Cultivar: Goko

Tea Region: Uji, Kyoto, Japan

Tasting Notes

• Appearance: Slightly cloudy, pale green coloured infusion.
• Aroma: Creamy, milky, cooked vegetal notes accompanied with gentle grassy notes. 
• Flavour: Rich, umami, buttered steamed greens (spinach, zucchini) with a persistently sweet, creamy, milky flavour.
• Mouthfeel: Supple, full-bodied liquor. Silky and unctuous mouthfeel. Absence of bitterness and astringency.  

Brewing Guidance

• Measure 3g of tea per 150ml water. Boil water to 60℃. Steep for 2 minutes.

Reference: Op.204 GOKO

All You Need to Know about Gyokuro Uji Goko

Made from carefully hand-picked tea leaves grown on the picturesque hills of Uji, which then have been masterfully crafted into a beautiful, dark green needle shape by the 16th generation tea master, our Gyokuro Uji Goko offers a full-bodied, sweet and velvety infusion with creamy, milky and cooked vegetable notes. 

In comparison to our other single cultivar Gyokuro - Gyokuro Uji Hikari and Samidori (they also make a delicious, silky, creamy infusion with rich sweet, umami flavour),  Gyokuro Uji Goko offers a fuller body, more unctuous and velvety mouthfeel. Gyokuro Yabukita shares its main flavour profiles with Gyokuro Goko (i.e. dominantly milky, creamy, vegetal), however Gyokuro Goko offers more intense sweet milky flavour than Gyokuro Uji Yabukita.

If you really love the oily creamy texture and appreciate the sweet, milky, vegetal flavour of Gyokuro, you'd be more than happy and satisfied with our Gyokuro Yabukita and Gyokuro Goko. If you appreciate more delicate, refreshing Gyokuro with a bit more flavour complexity, you will be impressed with our unique Gyokuro Samidori and Gyokuro Uji Hikari. 

A supreme example of masterfully crafted Gyokuro that is a must try for any tea connoisseurs and Japanese tea lovers.

Goko is an elite tea cultivar typically used to make Gyokuro and Matcha, although we personally prefer Goko for Gyokuro than for Matcha, as we find its sweet, milky, vegetal character of Goko gets really enhanced in Gyokuro, whereas there is often  sharp bitterness in Matcha made from Goko cultivar. 

Tips for Tea Connoisseurs

Gyokuro, which translates into "Jade Dew" in Japanese, is a highly appreciated, much sought-after green tea by Japanese green tea connoisseurs for its elegant and refreshing aromas and flavours. Originating from an award-winning, family-run tea garden in Uji, which has been established during the Tensho era, this gracious Gyokuro made from the rare and prestigious Goko cultivar has captivated our palate in all respects with its distinctively rich, creamy, umami flavour and delicate sweetness. 

To make Gyokuro Uji Goko, Goko tea plants have been shaded 30 days in advance before harvest to achieve its iconic mellow sweetness. Due to its limited exposure to the sunshine, tea plants undergo a chain of physiological changes in order to survive, which, in turn, results in the changes of the chemical composition of the tea leaves. As this shading method imposes a heavy burden on the tea plants, tea leaves for Gyokuro green tea are harvested only once a year, in contrast to tea leaves for Sencha green tea which are harvested 4 times a year. Produced this way, Gyokuro green tea is extremely rich in L-theanine, the essential amino acid in developing Gyokuro green tea's desired flavour profile - mellow, sweet, rich, umami flavours.

Please ensure to use low water temperature (60℃) for no longer than 2 minutes to appreciate its iconic, deep, umami flavour. Infusion at any higher temperature will result in bitterness in the liquor, which will cover up the distinctively elegant and mellow character. 

As with all green tea, Gyokuro is rich in antioxidants and known for its potential health benefits such as promoting heart health, cancer prevention, boosting the immune system and lowering down blood pressure. 

If you like this product you may also like Gyokuro Kukicha, Matcha Eroica, Sencha Asamushi and Wild Arbor Joongjak.