01Hot
- Amount
- 1 teaspoon (2.5g)
- Water
- 80°C
- Time
- 1 minute
Keep the water off the boil. You can steep again.
Green Tea
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Organic Gyokuro
Shade-grown Japanese green tea with deep umami, gentle sweetness and a smooth finish.
- Caffeine
- Contains caffeine
- Brew
- 1 tsp · 80°C · 1 min
- Milk
- No milk needed
- Best
- Slow weekend morning
Regular price
£7.85
Regular price
Sale price
£7.85
Taxes included.
Shipping calculated at checkout.
- Packed by hand in Huddersfield
- Packed by our Huddersfield team
- Free UK delivery from £35
Which size should I choose?
50gTry it first, or keep a few different teas open.
100gA sensible everyday pouch for most tea drinkers.
200g+Best when it is already part of your tea shelf.
Quantity
One-time purchase is the default. If you choose a subscription, orders repeat at your selected frequency. Read the cancellation policy
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Is this your cup?
Those who want to taste how deep and savoury a green tea can be; brew it cool.
Perhaps not if you prefer your tea brisk and made with boiling water. Try Sencha →
Good together
Postage & the practical bits.
We hand-pack your order in Huddersfield. Free standard UK delivery from £35. Delivery options and charges are confirmed at checkout.
Organic Gyokuro
Shade-grown Japanese green tea
Umami in the shade.
Green Tea
Organic Gyokuro is shade-grown before harvest, developing a deep savoury sweetness, silky body and concentrated green character.
Small leaves, cooler water, a cup to pay attention to.
- Character
- Umami · sweet · silken
- Water
- 80°C
- Time
- 1 minute
Shade-grown Japanese green
The quietest, deepest green in the cup
Gyokuro is what happens when you slow everything down: shaded leaves, cooler water, a patient minute. The reward is a savoury sweetness most green teas never reach.
- Origin
- Japan
- Caffeine
- Higher than most greens
- Milk?
- No
- Best time
- Slow morning or afternoon
The story
Grown in the shade, brewed with care
Most tea plants spend their days in full sun. Gyokuro is different. For several weeks before harvest, the bushes are covered, blocking out light and forcing the leaves to work harder. The result is more chlorophyll, more of the amino acid that brings umami, and a deep green colour that carries through to the cup.
The taste is unlike other green teas. There is sweetness, but it leans savoury rather than floral, somewhere between fresh greens and a whisper of the sea. The texture is silky, almost brothy, with none of the sharp grassiness you might expect. It asks you to pay attention, and it rewards you when you do.
Brewing Gyokuro is a small ritual. Cooler water, around 80°C, and a short steep bring out its best. Rush it with boiling water and the delicacy disappears. Give it a moment, and you get something genuinely special.
How to brew it
Cool water, short steep, good cup
02Second steep
- Amount
- Same leaves
- Water
- 80°C
- Time
- 90 seconds
A little longer, still delicate.
03Cold brew
- Amount
- 1.5 teaspoons
- Water
- Cold
- Time
- 8–12 hours in the fridge
Intensely smooth and sweet. Worth the wait.
Shop tip: If your first cup tastes bitter, try water at 70°C next time. Gyokuro opens up beautifully with patience and cooler temperatures.
Made for moments like
Slow weekend morning
When there is nowhere to be and you want to actually taste what is in your cup rather than just drink it.
Afternoon concentration
A quiet cup at your desk when you need focus without the jitters of coffee.
Gift for a tea explorer
For someone who thinks they know green tea but has not tried anything like this.
Lovely withSushi or sashimiLight rice dishesSteamed fishA plain buttery biscuitA quiet half hour
Weighing it up?
Not quite what you’re after? Try these.
SenchaChoose Sencha if you want Japanese green with less ceremony and a brighter, grassier cup.From £3.75
Organic DragonwellChoose Dragonwell if you prefer a nutty, chestnut-like Chinese green over savoury umami.From £5.45
GenmaichaChoose Genmaicha if you want toasty, popcorn-like warmth rather than pure green depth.From £5.15
Good questions
Things people ask us in the shop
What does Gyokuro taste like?
Rich, savoury and sweet with an almost brothy body. It has deep umami notes, gentle vegetal flavours, and none of the sharpness you get from cheaper green teas. Think fresh greens, a touch of the sea, and a smooth, silky finish.
Does Gyokuro have more caffeine than other green teas?
Yes. The shading process increases caffeine levels, so Gyokuro sits at the higher end for green tea. It is still less than a strong black tea or coffee, but probably not one for late evening.
Why does Gyokuro need cooler water?
Boiling water scorches the delicate leaves and pulls out bitterness. Water around 80°C, or even 70°C if you are feeling patient, lets the sweetness and umami come through without the harshness.
How many cups can I get from a 50g pouch?
At roughly 2.5g per cup, a 50g pouch gives you about 20 cups. Gyokuro leaves can be re-steeped, so you may get more.
How should I store Gyokuro?
Keep the pouch sealed in a cool, dry, dark place. Away from strong smells like coffee or spices, as green tea picks up odours easily.
Full product details
Organic Gyokuro is shade-grown before harvest, developing a deep savoury sweetness, silky body and concentrated green character.
Umami · Sweet · Silken
What makes Gyokuro different?
Reducing the plants’ light before harvest changes the leaves’ flavour. The finished cup is rich and savoury-sweet, with a smooth texture that rewards careful brewing.
Ingredients
Organic Japanese green tea.
Brewing guide
- Amount: 1 teaspoon per cup
- Water: 80°C
- Time: 1 minute
Contains natural caffeine. Best enjoyed without milk. Keep the leaves for another infusion.
Gyokuro FAQs
What does Gyokuro taste like? Shade-grown Japanese green tea with deep umami, gentle sweetness and a smooth finish.
Does Gyokuro contain caffeine? Yes. As a green tea it naturally contains caffeine. For a later cup, Decaf Kyushu Sencha Green is a gentler choice.
How do I brew Gyokuro? Use one teaspoon per cup with water at 80°C and steep for 1 minute. Taste it, then adjust the time next round rather than stewing the leaves.
Can I have Gyokuro with milk? We wouldn't. It is at its best on its own.
How should I store Gyokuro? Keep the pouch sealed and somewhere cool, dry and dark, away from strong smells like coffee or spices.
A green tea worth slowing down for
Hand-packed in Yorkshire and ready to post. Free UK delivery on orders over £35.
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