Gyokuro

From:

:

"Because of it's (Uji's) reputation for high-class teas, it is important to note that some of the teas processed in Uji are not in fact grown in Uji, but are instead shipped in from other areas to aquire the "from Uji" label. While many of Japan's finest green teas originate in Uji, having a tea come from Uji itself will not guarantee that the tea is better than those from other areas.

From:

"Here is unconfirmed information I heard about LongJing. XiHu LongJing is seriously under supplied. Let's not talk about meeting world-wide demand, LongJing produced from the small area around the 5 peaks is not enough to even go around friends and relatives of the tea farmers. Solution? Farmers "import" LongJing grown in other provinces, which is not as tasty, and sell it as XiHu LongJing.

Sorry I have to break someone's heart. If you think you are drinking the original LongJing when you visit these tea farmers of XiHu, you are a happy tourist, and they are happy farmers."

Just as with your other comment about Uji, this is also correct. The truth is that you will most likely never get your hands on the real top-grade stuff. You can get really good approximations, but nowhere near the real thing. Again I'm not up on the whole world of Chinese greens, but it doesn't surprise me.

When I see even the reputable websites among us making all these "Top Quality" claims when it comes to teas like Gyokuro I just have to kind of chuckle and take it with a large grain of salt. Seriously when a lifelong resident of the town where the tea is sold has next to no chance of getting his hands on the high-end stuff, I can't honestly believe some website not only has it but then can sell it for $29.95/50g and still have some in December. I could see a few big online players getting *some* to sell but I would expect it to say SOLD OUT next to the add to cart button within 10-15 minutes and for a princely sum.

Same goes for LJ, or darn near any other super high end and limited production product. I'm happy to buy the mid-grade knowing it is mid to low grade, and don't even concern myself with it anymore. If I luck into a cup or two of really high end stuff once in a blue moon then I consider myself lucky and really enjoy it for what it is. But I don't think that kind of market, pricing, scarcity, and effort is what the real spirit of tea is about... so I happily don't play along anymore. For a time I did and got caught up in it, but those days are over for me.

- Dominic

snip

I'm happy to buy the mid-grade knowing it is mid to

Too true...I used to think about trying to get the rare (read "expensive") stuff and am finding that it causes much more stress for me than the tea would be able to fix. Also again, I think it may be a mistake to conflate "expensive" and "good tasting"...I think there's plenty of good-tasting tea out there for prices a person doesn't have to mortgage their house for. That being said, if a tea is very tasty and also very popular that also probably makes it more scarce which could drive the price up...lots of variables.

I try hard not to covet a particular tea, I really do...I'm not often successful but it gives me more peace not to. It's easier for me to covet a tea that I like a lot but that isn't necessarily the most raved about in tea circles because then I don't feel like I'm competing against everyone else for a little bit of tea.

Melinda

ElonaXns989F766B81DF1Elona@69.28.186.12012/20/06 12: snipped-for-privacy@cox.net

All joy is dead, killed at one stroke by Elona. And sad to say you're most likely 100% right. Michael

You may already have it, but here more Gyokuro:

Hmm that link looks kinda long- But is the page for their tea master! :-> at maiko tea- I haven't tried them yet-. I should be getting an order of tamryokucha from Mellow Monk this week. And I noticed that hibiki has new samplers up.

-lyn

You may already have it, but here is more Gyokuro:

Hmm that link looks kinda long- But is the page for the Bio on their tea master :-> at maiko tea- I haven't tried them yet-. I should be getting an order of tamryokucha from Mellow Monk this week. And I noticed that hibiki has new samplers up.

-lyn

Thanks, but to my knowledge you can't actually *buy* any of that tea. It doesn't appear on the site for sale, and I don't recall ever being able to buy it. The pricing stated seems about right, but even the highest priced Gyokuro they sell is only $165/280g and isn't the stuff produced as stated in that article.

If I'm mistaken or you know of a way to order some please let me know, I'd be very interested. Handling and processing was something I didn't really touch on but makes a big difference as well with Gyokuro, the hand-picked/hand-made approach would be near the top in that respect. I'm not aware of the exact plantation where his leaves come from and it doesn't say in the article... just the area.

I saw the samples on hibiki as well, I placed an order the other day. All this Gyokuro talk has me going nuts until I can drink some now :) It's like a recovering alcoholic at an open bar... I had been doing so good too...

- Dominic

I didn't mean to do it! :-)

The XiHu LongJing information is from the humourous travel adventures of Kam Leung. See bottom of webpage:

.

Kam is better known for his commercial website:

, selling tea, teapots, and Chinese art. Happy Holidays

for Gyokuro produced by Maiko Tea Master Mr. Yamashita.

hth

This a couple more expensive teas here: wrote:

I am pretty sure they have Visa/Master card logo on their website ( I think it is once you start working on your 'cart'. And somewhere they also mention setting up a LLC in the states in '05. I have inquired about shipping- I have a funky APO, AP address that gets rejected by the web bots- I'll let you know what I find out. At least if you do end up in the doghouse you'll have warm cups of Gyokuro in your thermos/flask :-> Let me/us know about Hibikki. I may order from them as well.

ta> > > Thanks, but to my knowledge you can't actually *buy* any of that tea.

wrote:

If this link doesn't work type 'Aged' into their search engine

My internal sense of decency tells me that buying anything that strives to be taken as an "elite" or 'exclusive" is generally bad taste. People of refined good taste are the ones who can find truly original, superb quality things where the elite mobs was not yet directed by their "guides". So, gyokuro does not exist for me. I never tasted it and to all my tea friends who wanted me to try I said that I cannot drink tea a gram of which sells for an average monthly salary of most of good people of this world. Its bad "ren". It would make me feel cheap and donaldtrumpy.

Sasha.

Hi John, Happy Holidays......and always a good tea in reach!

1) Whether a tea is good or bad is a very subjective matter and price not always a good guide as far as your personal taste preference is concerned.

2)Gyokuro is not about taste but about AMINOACIDS which can be detected in this very special tea. The Aminoacids are said to have an influence on the frequency of your brains alpha waves.A stress reducer or enhancer of your immune system.

3) I could think of a multitude of other Greens which for me taste better and are a lot cheaper.

4)There is a huge market for this type of product and there are different opinions on what is a good ,bad,or better one.

5) Trust your own taste!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Good luck for the New Year. Kalle

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