Tea Cultivar · Camellia sinensis var. sinensis
Asatsuyu
- Origin
- Japan - Kagoshima
- Registered
- 1953
- Primary use
- green tea, sencha, gyokuro
Overview
Asatsuyu, whose name means 'morning dew,' is one of the original modern Japanese cultivars, registered the same year as Yabukita. It is sometimes called 'natural gyokuro' because its sun-grown sencha can rival the umami sweetness of shaded teas from other cultivars. It is grown on far less acreage than Yabukita, partly because of its agronomic fussiness, but it remains highly sought after for premium single-cultivar sencha.
Characteristics
An early-budding sinensis with light yellow-green foliage and a somewhat sprawling growth habit. It is sensitive to cold and prone to disease, which has kept its acreage limited to southern Kagoshima and a handful of producers in Uji. Leaves are soft and thin, which makes them ideal for delicate steaming but also makes them difficult to handle mechanically.
Flavor profile
Famously sweet and smooth, with low astringency, low bitterness, and a soft melon-and-cream umami that drinkers often compare to gyokuro made without shading. The liquor is a pale jade, the aroma gentle and floral. It rewards lower brewing temperatures (60–65°C) and shorter steeps; pushed too hot, it loses its delicate character.
Where it grows
Kagoshima · Kyoto (Uji)