We discovered this beautiful example of Shincha Gyokuro green, rare tea on a trip to Kagoshima, Japan from a JAS organic certified garden. The wiry leaf is a deep, inky emerald colour producing a brilliant green infusion with a fully aromatic bouquet: fresh citrus, elderflower and vegetal. The taste expresses notes of spinach and seaweed, with an unbeatable experience of umami, and a lingering sweetness.
Shincha is the first flush of Sencha in spring, and only the top three leaves are picked and processed in Gyokuro-style almost immediately to capture its succulence. Shincha is popular and prized within the region for its early arrival, rarity and unique taste, so very few examples of this quality make it to export. Coming from the first harvest, Shincha has a higher amino acid content, which results in that full body and sweetness that you can detect.
Learn how to pair Japanese Shincha Gyokuro rare green tea with food on our Journal
