Yame Gyokuro "Mei"

八女玉露 “明”

Origin
Yame, Fukuoka

Harvest
May 2025

Yame is a special place. It is defined by dramatic mountains and cascading waterfalls. It is also known to produce the best Gyokuro in Japan, making it home to the traditional craftsmanship for this kind of tea. Over 100 years of experience making Gyokuro lives in Yame and thus, the tea that comes from here has set the standard for Gyokuro around the world for a very long time.  

Gyokuro depends on shade, and the best ones are grown in the valleys of mountains where there is little direct sunlight. The narrow river valleys of the Yame region create the ideal conditions for these tea trees, and they are able to flourish naturally, without much human intervention.  

Dry, the tea leaves smell sweet, like lychee and oatmeal. The first long-infusion brews a semi-translucent yellow liquor, leaving revitalized blue-green leaves glowing in the gaiwan. 

The first infusion has a soft, heavy mouthfeel – savoury at first, with a lingering floral aftertaste. Sweeter tropical notes come out in the second Infusion, along with an uplifting astringency and a blooming mouthfeel that seems to expand on our palates after we’ve swallowed. By the third infusion its strong character has softened, while the liquor maintains an impressive density. 

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Brewing Guide

Please read our detailed Gyokuro brewing guide here