Interested in learning about gyokuro green tea, where to buy it and how to brew it? We’re going to show you everything you need to know in this article.
The best place to buy gyokuro green tea is from the farmer directly, but if this is not possible, you can of course buy it from a tea company like Nio Teas that gets the gyokuro directly from the farmer. In this article, we will teach you everything you need to know before you buy gyokuro, how to buy gyokuro green tea, and where to buy gyokuro.
Let’s get started! 🎉
Where to Buy Gyokuro Online
Where to buy gyokuro online is a tricky question because ideally you would buy it from the farmer directly. The only issue is, most tea farmers don’t offer online ordering, and even if they did, it would be prohibitively expensive to ship to the US with such high tariffs. The next best thing is buying from a tea company that offers transparency in their sourcing.
Nio Teas
If you’re looking to buy gyokuro tea online, you have come to the right place! We try to meet all the farmers we work with in person and try out their teas many times before making them available on the website.
We then send it directly to you with free shipping worldwide.
Our gyokuro tea is produced by the legendary farmer, Mr. Sakamoto.
Mr. Sakamoto has been producing gyokuro without the use of pesticides or chemicals since 1985. After producing his own blend of organic fertilizer, he has been able to grow strong, healthy and flavorful tea plants without harming the surrounding ecosystem.
If you’re looking for the best gyokuro online shop, the best way to do it is to get the gyokuro from Mr. Sakamoto at Nio Teas.
What to Look for When You Buy Gyokuro
When it comes to gyokuro tea, where to buy it is only half the battle, you also need to know what to look for. Here are a few signals to look for when you buy gyokuro tea.
Leaf Color
When you are looking for where to buy gyokuro green tea, one thing you’ll want to do is look at the leaves. When the tea plant is shaded for a longer period of time, it tends to produce more chlorophyll to compensate. This will turn the leaves from a light lime-green color to a dark, jade-green color.
This makes it easy to tell whether or not the tea has been shaded for a long time just by looking at the leaves. If they are lime green, the tea is likely not a gyokuro. If you are going to buy gyokuro, you want the leaves to be very dark green, almost black in color.
Leaf Shape
When you buy gyokuro green tea, you also want to make sure that the leaves have this tight pine-needle shape. This means that they were rolled properly. It actually takes an additional rolling phase to make gyokuro tea, so serious gyokuro producers will make this investment. This ensures that the leaves lock in their flavor until they are infused into water.
What to Know Before You Buy Gyokuro Green Tea
Before you buy gyokuro green tea, there are a few things you’ll want to know. First, you’ll want to know what gyokuro is, what it typically costs and what to look for when you buy gyokuro. In this section, we will give you a short crash course on gyokuro tea so you’re not blindsided the first time you try to buy gyokuro.
What Is Gyokuro Green Tea?
You’re not the only one looking to buy gyokuro tea. Gyokuro is considered to be the most sought-after leaf tea in Japan. It’s made from the gyokuro plant, with leaves that have been shaded for 3 weeks or more prior to the harvest. By cutting off the tea plants from sunlight, a farmer is able to reduce the amount of bitter catechins in the tea and maximize the sweet and savory theanine.
After the 3-week shading is over, the farmer will then harvest the tea leaves. With a premium green tea like gyokuro, only the top 3 leaves are used. These are the youngest, most nutrient-dense and sweetest in flavor. Did you know that some people are even eating gyokuro leaves? To learn more about it, read our article 👉 Why People Are Eating Gyokuro Leaves?
Gyokuro is then steamed, dried and rolled into the characteristic needle-shaped leaves. These leaves lock in the flavor so that it can be released all at once into a glorious green infusion. The tea is thick and rich, with a strong sweet and savory flavor. Nothing comes close to matching the flavor and texture of gyokuro tea.
What Is the Typical Price of Gyokuro Tea?
A premium gyokuro tea will tend to be between 30 cents and 1 dollar per gram. At the high end, competition-grade gyokuro can be over $2 per gram. This is reserved for the annual gyokuro competitions where farmers compete to be selected as the “tea of the emperor.”
How to Buy Gyokuro Tea for Cheap
If you are paying much under 30 cents per gram of gyokuro tea, there is a chance you are getting one that is cheaply made. Unfortunately, like most premium food and drink, quality comes with a price.
When you buy gyokuro tea from us, you aren’t paying for fancy packaging or branding, just the cost to get the tea from the farmer and get it to your doorstep! Also, when you order gyokuro, buy larger quantities to get a higher discount. The leaves can be stored and the flavor can actually improve with age!
Why Is Gyokuro So Expensive?
When it comes to flavor and drinking experience, the price tag seems to speak for itself. Gyokuro does command one of the highest prices in the world of Japanese green tea, and because so many people are willing to pay top dollar for it, the gyokuro taste must be well loved. To learn why gyokuro is so expensive, we advise you to read the article 👉 Why is the Gyokuro Tea Price so High?
Best Place to Buy Gyokuro in Person
If you’re looking for where to buy gyokuro green tea in person, this can be very difficult.
Because there is such a small market for gyokuro tea, it doesn’t make sense to carry it at most physical stores.
You may find it at a specialty tea shop in a big city, but your best bet is to just buy gyokuro online and make your own delicious cups of tea!
Is gyokuro the best green tea?
While the question “is gyokuro the best green tea?” is a matter of opinion, we believe that when you look at the health benefits, the production and the unique taste characteristics of this tea, you can certainly make a case for it.
We wrote an entire article in which we take a look at what gyokuro is, how it’s made and why it just might be the best green tea.
Check out the article 👉 Is gyokuro the best green tea?
