EGRISI · Green Tea
ეგრისი — EGRISI
Georgian Green Tea · IMERETI
Pronunciation: [eGRI-si]
Biochemistry
EGRISI carries the optimal L-theanine to caffeine ratio of approximately 2:1 — the composition associated with calm, focused alertness. The leaf retains high catechin content, including EGCG. Chlorophyll is preserved through minimal oxidation. Quercetin contributes to the polyphenol profile.
- L-theanine to caffeine ratio: ≈ 2:1
- Caffeine: 25–40 mg per cup
- EGCG and catechins: high
- Chlorophyll: preserved
Character
Clear. Focused. Like mountain air — transparent and invigorating. The first infusion opens cleanly. The third reveals depth. Vegetal without grassiness, fresh without thinness.
Name Legend
ეგრისი (Egrisi) is the name of an ancient Georgian kingdom from the 1st through 8th centuries — also known as Lazika. It was the region where the Caucasus mountains meet the Black Sea, where civilisation took root in this part of the world. EGRISI as a tea name connects the leaf to that origin: clear, ancient, unmixed.
Origin
- Estate: Teanium plantation, Village Akhalbediseuli, Imereti, Georgia
- Elevation: 240 m
- Harvest: Spring 2023
- Plantation size: 56 hectares
- Certification: Organic
How EGRISI is Made
- Plucked: bud + 2 leaves
- Withered: 4 hours in the shadow
- Fixed (kill-green): 4 minutes at 300°C
- Rolled: 40 minutes
- Dried: 2 hours at 80°C
The fixing step at 300°C halts oxidation in minutes — this is what keeps the leaf green and the L-theanine intact.
Brewing
- Water: 75–80°C (lower temperature preserves L-theanine and avoids tannin extraction)
- Leaf: 4 g per 200 ml
- First infusion: 60 seconds
- Each next: +20 seconds
- Total infusions: 3–4
About GTNS
EGRISI is named according to the Georgian Tea Nomenclature Standard — the first open standard for naming Georgian tea, authored by Teanium. The name is the type itself: a Georgian word for green tea, drawn from the kingdom that gave its name to the western region where the leaf grows. Read the full standard at teanium.com/pages/gtns.
