South Korea was one of the most memorable trips to meet tea producers and experience tea aesthetics, and this green tea from the southern island of Jeju took me back to the Land of Morning Calm.
Its leaves are evenly twisted with jade green reflections, coming from the harvest known as Sejak. Spring teas are classified into 4 categories according to the harvest calendar. The most prestigious and expensive teas come from the first harvest, called Woojeon, usually in the first week of April. Then comes the 2nd harvest, Sejak, followed by the 3rd harvest, Jungjak, and finally the last harvest, Daejak, at the end of April or beginning of May. The closer it gets to summer, the more full-bodied and robust green teas become, with less vegetal freshness and aromatic subtlety.
This one offers a perfect balance between fresh vegetal aromatics ending with a gourmet, almost chestnut-like note, and a present yet mellow tannic structure revealing umami. Enjoy hot or cold.
