The Midnight Lounge

A Singular Beginning

The collection of The Midnight Lounge opens with a single tea.
Not by limitation, but by intention.

Rather than presenting a catalogue, the Maison begins with one ritual, one origin, and one expression of Japanese tea craftsmanship. This first tea establishes the foundation from which future rituals will emerge.

An Origin
Defined by Place

Southern Kyoto Prefecture, Uji River, Japanese green tea origin

This Gyokuro originates from the mountainous region of southern Kyoto Prefecture, an area long associated with the cultivation of exceptional Japanese green tea. Situated upstream of the Uji River, the region's misty mornings, cool climate, and mineral-rich waters create an environment uniquely suited to high-quality tea cultivation.

These natural conditions contribute to the gentle sweetness, depth, and aromatic clarity that have defined Uji tea for generations.

Uji region tea mountains in southern Kyoto

The Gokō Cultivar

Single cultivar Gyokuro, shade-grown refinement, genetic lineage

This Gyokuro is produced exclusively from the Gokō cultivar, a variety historically associated with refined, shade-grown Japanese teas. Known for its ability to express softness, umami, and balance, Gokō develops slowly under shade, allowing its character to unfold with restraint rather than intensity.

As a single-cultivar Gyokuro, the tea offers a clear and undiluted expression of its genetic lineage, revealing the relationship between plant, place, and method.

Cultivated in Shade

Shade cultivation, amino acid concentration, precision and patience

Gyokuro is distinguished by a cultivation method that prioritizes patience and control. In the weeks before harvest, the tea plants are carefully shaded, reducing sunlight exposure and slowing growth.

This technique increases amino acid concentration within the leaf, shaping the tea's characteristic umami, gentle sweetness, and smooth texture. The process demands precision and experience, as small variations directly influence the final expression.

Gyokuro tea leaves in white ceramic bowl with purple background

Taste and Texture

Umami, sweetness, savory finish, layered complexity

When prepared with care, this Gyokuro reveals a layered profile marked by subtle sweetness, deep umami, and a lingering, savory finish. The mouthfeel is smooth and enveloping, while the aroma unfolds gradually rather than immediately.

This is a tea that rewards attention.
Its complexity emerges through patience, not force.

Why Only One Tea

Intentional curation, discipline, meaningful selection

The Midnight Lounge does not curate abundance.
It curates meaning.

Beginning with a single Gyokuro allows the Maison to honor the discipline required to understand one ritual fully before introducing another. Each future addition will follow the same principle: origin-first, cultivar-respectful, and rooted in tradition.

The collection is not complete.
It is intentional.

Tea plantation aerial view - intentional curation

The First Ritual

This Gyokuro, cultivated from the Gokō cultivar in southern Kyoto, represents the first ritual of The Midnight Lounge.

It stands as an invitation to experience tea not as a product, but as a practice shaped by origin, cultivation, and time.

The collection begins here.

Single origin.
Single cultivar.
Single intention.

The Collection