Itoen - best gyokuro?
Hi. This may have been discussed before but if so I couldn't find it. I have a chance to go to the Itoen store in NY in a couple of days. Can anyone recommend a gyokuro from there? Thanks.
TokyoB
A M A Z I N G !!!..
I was inexperienced at first and did give it some thumbs down but now - OMG - some of the best stuff. I strongly recommend it.
Please note I have never used O-cha and some here swear by it.
Therefore - I really really really wish that someone who has tried both would post a comparative review before I put away another 50 $ !!
I was inexperienced at first and did give it some thumbs down but now - OMG - some of the best stuff. I strongly recommend it.
Please note I have never used O-cha and some here swear by it.
Therefore - I really really really wish that someone who has tried both would post a comparative review before I put away another 50 $ !!
Mar 14th, '09, 08:33
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I have simply never tried another gyokuro as good as Kame. At 27.95 USD per 50 grams it is still an excellent value because it is soooo good. It is knee bucling good, makes you sit down and take notice.inspectoring wrote:I have tried it and I believe I am on my 5th can - but I would hate to think that I could get something lot better than what I get at ito-en for the same money. Logically, based on what I read here - it seems like o-cha may be the one.
Well I picked up an ounce of the Yame Gyokuro at Ito-En. Will let you know how it goes. I also couldn't resist picking up an ounce of a sencha that was entered into a competition, although it didn't win/place - "Hoshino Comp. Grade Sencha" #153 - it was $27/oz. I tried it this morning and it was very good. It is always difficult to tell if a tea in this price range is "worth it". I think I may have used too little leaf though. Ito-en recommends a teaspoon which I weighed - and is only about 1.6 grams for 6 oz water (176F for 1 - 1.5 min). I actually used 2 teaspoons and had to wait 2 min to get a good brewing. Next time I'll use more leaf I think.
Back to gyokuro - So, Chip, your vote is for the Ito-en over O-cha Yame Gyokuro?
Inspectoring - did you say you received the Ito-en Yame in a can?
Back to gyokuro - So, Chip, your vote is for the Ito-en over O-cha Yame Gyokuro?
Inspectoring - did you say you received the Ito-en Yame in a can?
TokyoB
Mar 14th, '09, 10:57
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Ito-en is pretty good at upselling you when you visit the store, but they generally do it with good tea (not like Teavana doing it with crappy tea).I would only buy from them when visiting NY and stopping by the store. But I feel sales staff is required to show you good stuff once they see you have interest. I happened to catch the eye contact between the boss and my sales associate right before he upsold me. It was fine, because I did get only one ounce each of a few things that were quite good.
However, I did not try Ito-en's Yame Gyokuro, so I cannot answer that question, TokyoB. I did however just try a Yame costing almost 2X as much as the O-Cha Yame, the O-Cha impressed me in how well it stood up to this more pricy version.
blah blah blah SENCHA blah blah blah!!!
Mar 14th, '09, 11:43
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Re: Itoen - best gyokuro?
The Ito En shop staff is very knowledgeable and enthusiastic about japanese tea, and they may have off-menu stuff available, so I'd suggest asking what they recommend when u go in there.TokyoB wrote: I have a chance to go to the Itoen store in NY in a couple of days. Can anyone recommend a gyokuro from there? Thanks.
The Yame Gyo is amazing, and I think the Uji is pretty good too.
As for value, as always, I recommend the Chiran and Megami sencha... Kawane Sencha and Uji Kabuse are great too.
And their Kago and Shizuoka shincha is fantastic, should be available in a couple months...
Well - I got the Uji Gyokuro in the can - I believe that is the only one they sell in the can. Now I guess I would try to get the Yame.TokyoB wrote:Well I picked up an ounce of the Yame Gyokuro at Ito-En. Will let you know how it goes. I also couldn't resist picking up an ounce of a sencha that was entered into a competition, although it didn't win/place - "Hoshino Comp. Grade Sencha" #153 - it was $27/oz. I tried it this morning and it was very good. It is always difficult to tell if a tea in this price range is "worth it". I think I may have used too little leaf though. Ito-en recommends a teaspoon which I weighed - and is only about 1.6 grams for 6 oz water (176F for 1 - 1.5 min). I actually used 2 teaspoons and had to wait 2 min to get a good brewing. Next time I'll use more leaf I think.
Back to gyokuro - So, Chip, your vote is for the Ito-en over O-cha Yame Gyokuro?
Inspectoring - did you say you received the Ito-en Yame in a can?
Also - please keep in mind as I see that Megami is recommended. There is a HUGE difference between the can and the loose tea you get from them. The cans are almost always not as fresh as the loose one you receive.
Just something to keep in mind.
