Jaksul 101 – Sparrow What?

Closeup of two leaves and a bud (tea leaf…aka camellia sinensis)

If you’re familiar with Korean tea, you’ve probably heard the term “Jaksul” to describe green tea. 

High-quality, artisan green tea is often refered to as Jaksul (작설, sometimes spelled “Jakseol”) in Korea.

The name, in Hanja, directly translates into “sparrow’s tongue”, referring to the tea leaf’s resemblance to the delicate shape of a sparrow’s tongue. 

A more detailed break-down of the word is as follows: 

작 (雀) 참새 ‘작’ – cham sae “jak” = sparrow “jak”

설 (舌) 혀 ‘설’ – hyuh “suhl” = tongue “sul”

One of the tea fields of the Honam Tea Estate (Hankook Tea Co.) in the province of Jeolla-namdo. Please do not use photos without permission.

Grading tea varies from country to country, sometimes even from company to company. When comparing teas between countries, I’ve heard the following saying a few times:

“Japanese tea focuses on color, Chinese tea focuses on aroma and Korean tea focuses on taste”

While it is fairly irresponsible (stereotypical even) to make this generalization, whoever first said this wasn’t entirely incorrect. This is most apparent when comparing green tea from these three different countries. When comparing green teas (or any teas) of different countries/companies, don't use just one set of "rules". Dig a little deeper to see if you can find information like:

• where the tea was grown (region, soil type, environment)
• what varietal was used (small-leaf type, large-leaf type)
• when the tea was harvested (season)
• how the tea was made (steamed, pan-fired, etc.)
• what the farmer/company focuses on (color, aroma, flavor)

Keep an open mind to explore the hundreds and thousands of different types of teas out there to find "your cup of tea" - pun intended : )

Edited from original posts, posted on a personal blog in 2012:  https://hankookcha.wordpress.com/2012/01/31/tea-vs-tisane-herbal/