One More Steep

Gyokuro by Teakan
Green Tea / Straight
$38.00 for 61g

Gyokuro is part of Teakan’s Volume 6 Exploration Kit, a collection of five single origin teas. Gyokuro makes up 15g of the 61g kit.

First Impressions

Gyokuro is the fourth tea from the 6th Exploration Kit that I’m reviewing. I love experiencing the Exploration Kits from Teakan because the ability to try single origin teas without breaking the bank. Gyokruo came in a sealed, resealable, kraft paper pouch. It has a white and black label on the front of the back. This particular Gyokuro comes from Yame, Fukuoka, Japan. This green tea was harvested in spring of 2021.

The leaves of Gyokuro were surprising to me. I don’t know why, but I had expected more full leaves. That said, the dry leaf is dark green, with mild pops of spring green, and the leaves are flat, almost like green needles. It’s a mix of short pieces, and dusty looking pieces of leaves. The aroma is both salty and grassy.

Preparation

Teakan recommends steeping Gyokuro in 70°C (158°F) water for 2 minutes. I opted to follow the steeping instructions.

If you don’t have a variable temperature kettle that allows you to go down to 70°C (158°F), I would recommend choosing your lowest temperature and then allowing it to cool down.

First Taste

Gyokuro steeps to a greeny yellow colour. There is the presence of the tea dust that escaped my stainless steel infuser and settling to the bottom of my cup. The aroma is grassy. The flavour of Gyokuro though? Salty. It reminds me of being on the beach, smelling that salty air, and it’s just an umami bomb through my time mouth. It’s salty, savoury, it reminds me of seaweed snacks. It’s just… Strong. The grassy notes play second fiddle to the umami flavour profile that just take over my mouth. Gyokuro has a thin texture to it, and the flavour lingers on the tongue.

A Second Cup?

I resteeped Gyokuro twice, adding an additional 30 seconds for each subsequent steep. The leaves are bright green after steeping. The flavour remains very similar to the initial steep – umami, savoury, reminds me of seaweed snacks throughout the steeping session that I had with Gyokuro.

My Overall Impression

I thought that Teakan’s Gyokuro was just okay. I felt that Gyokruo was just too much of an umami bomb for me, personally. It packs of a punch of flavour that will definitely wake you up, if you’re looking for that something to perk you up. It has a flavour that I think a lot of people will like, Gyokuro is a classic and it has a savoury undertone to it. I think it’s a great tea, but it’s just not one for me.

Curious about the cup rating system? Click here to learn more.

Lu Shan Yun Wu by Teakan
Green Tea / Straight
$38.00 for 61g

Lu Shan Yun Wu is part of Teakan’s Volume 6 Exploration Kit, a collection of five single origin teas. Lu Shan Yun Wu makes up 15g of the 61g kit.

First Impressions

As part of Volume 6 Exploration Kit from Teakan, Lu Shan Yun Yu is a Chinese green tea that came to me in a very familiar sealed (and resealable) kraft paper pouch that has a black and white label on the from and the back with details regarding this single origin tea. Lu Shan Yun Wu is from Lu Shan, Jiangxi, China. This is a green tea that was harvested during spring of 2021.

The leaves of Lu Shan Yun Wu is wiry, with a mix of cream to deep green colours. The aroma is grassy, with just a light bit of floral in the background. It’s pleasant and inviting, to say the least. It’s a pretty dry leaf to look at, which is always agreeable to me.

Preparation

Teakan has steeping instructions for both western and gongfu styles of steeping.

For western steeping, Teakan recommends using 80°C (176°F) water and steeping for 1 minute.

For gongfu steeping, Teakan recommends using 80°C (176°F) water and steeping for 20 seconds.

I opted to do an initial steep of Lu Shan Yun Wu in the western steeping style, and steeped for 1 minute.

First Taste

Lu Shan Yun Wu steeps to a lovely clear yellow that’s quite pale in colour. There isn’t a lot of tea dust present at the bottom of the cup. The aroma is lightly grassy. The flavour of Lu Shan Yun Wu is interesting – it has a lightness throughout the sip, and is thin in texture. The flavour is lightly grassy, mildly vegetal. It reminds me a bit of dark green leafy vegetables, it just has the savoury quality about it. Lu Shan Yun Wu has a sweet aftertaste to it, that isn’t off-putting and enjoyable.

A Second Cup?

I resteeped Lu Shan Yun Wu four times (five steeps total with the same leaves), and added an additional 30 seconds for each steep. The flavour of Lu Shan Yun Wu got more vegetal and less grassy, as I steeped the leaves again and again. Lu Shan Yun Wu did get milder in flavour by the second resteep, and continued to get weaker in flavour after that.

My Overall Impression

I loved Teakan’s Lu Shan Yun Wu. There’s just something very pleasant about this green tea that was a joyful experience for the senses from the dry leaf, to steeping, to drinking. I would highly recommend resteeping Lu Shan Yun Wu, since it just does so well. It has a pleasant flavour, it’s not overwhelming strong in any which way, and I would follow the steeping recommendations because I feel that a 2 minute initial steep would be far too long for this delicate tea.

Curious about the cup rating system? Click here to learn more.