Okabe Gyokuro

Origin: Okabe, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan
Cultivar: Okumidori and Yabukita
Elevation: 100m
Harvest: 2019, 2020, 2021 (vintage blend)

Okabe is one of the three main growing regions for traditional gyokuro.

Okabe is located at the crossroads of the Hon Yama and Kawane tea growing regions situated along the riverbanks of the Asahina River in Shizuoka Prefecture. This area’s tea is primarily shade-grown kabuse and gyokuro produced by a dwindling number of highly skilled but elderly tea farmers.

The old school cultivation and processing methods practiced by these amazing tea artisans are very rare and this might be the last generation of Okabe’s amazing Hon Gyokuro tea farmers.

This Okabe Gyokuro is a vintage blend from the past few years featuring micro-lots from several of the region’s top farmers including Endo San, Maejima San and others. The blend highlights the deep umami dashi flavor, fullness of body, mountain minerality and balance associated with the Okabe region.





Additional Tea Preparation Notes:

The traditional method of brewing gyokuro is to use about 1 part tea to 1.2 parts water.  
 
 Infuse for 20 seconds and decant. You don’t want to drown the tea leaves or add too much water on the first brew.

Repeat for another 5+ infusions, adding 5-10 seconds to each subsequent infusion. Brew several rounds until the flavor and aroma dissipates. 

Make sure to add just enough water to cover the tea leaves each round to get the traditional taste and rich body.