Authentic Matcha green tea should be grown and ground in Japan. Over nearly a thousand years Japanese farmers have perfected their growing and processing techniques in order to obtain the best quality tea that can be produced.
As well as unique flavour and growing method, one of the fundamental elements that distinguishes Japanese Tea from all other teas is freshness! Just like the majority of fresh specialty products that are sensitive to the environment, Japanese tea is mostly appreciated when enjoyed as fresh as possible.
The most important elements to look out for when assessing the freshness of your tea are the following: colour, aroma and taste.
The shade of green of Matcha depends on the grade (higher grades are brighter while lower grades are duller) but in general a vivid shade of green is a good sign of freshness, which means not only that the tea has been produced with quality leaves but also that it has been stored properly throughout the journey from the tea farm, to the processing factory and eventually to your home. Oxygen, UV light, heat and humidity are big enemies of Matcha, so it is crucial to keep the precious green tea powder away from them as much as possible.
The aroma of fresh Matcha is inviting, vegetal and with a unique refreshing "Ooika" fragrance. Its taste (which really varies depending on the grade) should be overall pleasantly smooth, lightly sweet and without too much astringency. The higher we climb the ladder of high-grade Ceremonial Matcha the more complex and refined the flavour becomes, acquiring unique marine notes (these are given by the high concentration of DMS compound present in shaded teas) with an intense and lasting sweet Umami.
If drunk simply with water as Usucha or Koicha tea, we strongly recommend to opt for a very high quality Ceremonial Grade Matcha, while if mixed with other ingredients a more robust and affordable Culinary Grade Matcha is recommended
It is recommended to buy high quality Matcha powder in small batches, in order to experience the utmost flavour and freshness with every cup. Our Matcha Starting Set is a great choice for those new to matcha to begin!
We source and distribute our Matcha green tea powder from the pristine fields of Uji, Japan, offering organic and non-organic grades.