It’s the expected answer, yet it’s so vague, isn’t it? Our customers and we consistently describe it this way: The higher the quality of a matcha’s processing (see next point), the milder and more complex its flavor. As the quality increases, so does the creaminess, and the mouthfeel changes—it becomes more pronounced and fuller.

Very high-quality teas taste best on their own, since their delicate aroma can’t really stand up to milk (or milk alternatives) and is quickly overwhelmed.

We’ve described how to taste tea here for you.

Matcha is made from tencha, which is green tea that has been shaded and briefly steamed. The longer the tea is shaded, the more chlorophyll the leaves can produce. This gives it its mild flavor.

For the highest-quality teas, only the topmost and most tender shoots are hand-picked (tezumi) in the spring (ichibancha, or first flush). These leaves can be ground even finer later on, resulting in a better foam. The flavor is also more delicate.

"Cultivar" refers to the variety of the green tea plant. While this is actually an important distinction, its effect on the tea is largely subjective, since no single variety tastes "better" across the board.

Japan is home to a wide variety of outstanding tea-growing regions. Due to differing geographic and climatic conditions, each region has its own unique approach to cultivating green tea. Find out here which regions of Japan we source our teas from.