Matcha maker, matcha maker, make me a match…
Sorry. Our SoHo store in New York City is only 20 minutes from Broadway, and the influence gets the best of me sometimes. Nonetheless, we are gathered here today to talk about matcha…what it is, what the differences are between all the different kinds of matcha we sell, and which one is your matcha made in heaven.
What Is Matcha, Anyway?
If you want the long answer to that question, you’ll want to visit our Matcha 101 page, followed by a reading of Mike Harney’s in-depth insights. But the short answer starts with a shade-grown green tea called tencha, which has a pleasant medium body and clean, vegetal flavors reminiscent of (brace yourself) steamed spinach and artichoke hearts. The tencha leaf is what gives matcha its unique flavor.
Another thing that makes matcha distinctive? The way it gets processed. Instead of being rolled and dried or fired in a hot oven, the tencha leaves are chopped up and air-dried.
In Japan, tencha is rarely drunk in its pure form (although if you’d like to do exactly that, we’ve got a two-ounce tin of loose leaf Tencha tea with your name on it). More often, the dried, chopped tencha leaves are ground into a fine powder known as…you’re probably way ahead of us here…matcha.
Unlike most teas, brewing plays no role in the preparation of traditional matcha. Instead, you start with a deep-sided bowl and a fine whisk. After warming the bowl with hot water, you dry it out to prevent the matcha powder from clumping. Place your matcha powder in the bowl, then pour water (typically heated to 175°F) over it.
We recommend adding a small amount of water at first, to make a thick paste. After that, add more water and whisk away (to another world). Whisk the tea in brisk angular motions, repeatedly tracking out an M or a W in the cup to form a thick, foamy broth. From the first sip, your mouth will be filled with sensation.
Good matcha is prized not just for the calm energy it provides (courtesy of its caffeine content and L-theanine amino acid), but also for its umami: a savory, creamy sweetness balanced by gentle bitterness (the word itself translates to “essence of deliciousness” in Japanese). The higher the grade of matcha, the smoother and more complex it will be.
Matcha is one of the oldest types of tea found in Japan. First introduced by a traveller who had returned from China with tea seeds and a familiarity with the powdered tea method, it was originally used by monks to stay alert during meditation. Later, matcha was adopted by the elite, and then by samurai culture, before finally becoming accessible to the general population. Over time, the beverage became deeply intertwined with Japanese culture, becoming the focus of the Chanoyu tea ceremony.
After many centuries as a fixture in the East, matcha has enjoyed a recent surge of popularity in the West. Our website offers quite a variety of matchas, but right now we’re going to focus on six: Supreme Matcha, Organic Everyday Matcha, Organic Matcha, Jobetsugi Ceremonial Matcha (Thin Grade), Senjunomukashi Ceremonial Matcha (Thick Grade), and Unjonotomo Ceremonial Matcha (Extra Thick Grade).
Meet the Matchas
Supreme Matcha
Sourced from the area around Uji, Japan, our Supreme Matcha is a blend from the second season’s harvest in June and July. The aroma offers fruit notes blended with vegetal scents, while the flavors drift between fruit and freshly cut grass (and blend excellently with your milk of choice).
Suited for those who want traditional matcha flavor but with a softer intensity, this is a versatile mid-tier matcha that’s ideal for lattes, smoothies, and daily use.
Organic Everyday Matcha
My grandfather, John Harney, wanted to make high-quality tea an everyday luxury. Our Organic Everyday Matcha is a perfect example of his vision. Ground from tencha leaves harvested in the summer season from Kagoshima (a seaside city on Japan’s Kyushu island), this matcha’s aroma hints at casaba melon and lettuce. A mild umami flavor offers a pleasant mouth feel, making this a perfect blend for daily enjoyment.
The muted flavors of this lighter blend can make it an excellent, beginner-friendly choice for those new to the world of matcha. It’s also the ideal companion for your favorite milk or non-dairy milk to make exceptionally delicious lattés, or the perfect complement to your daily smoothie.
Organic Matcha
Our Organic Matcha is also sourced from the shaded tea fields of Kagoshima, on the southern island of Kyushu, Japan. The flavor of this tea is similar to that of our Organic Everyday Matcha, with notes of melon and lettuce…but because Organic Matcha is made from leaves harvested in spring, not summer, you’ll enjoy higher levels of mouth-filling umami.
Organic Matcha relies upon natural fertilizers. Because natural fertilizers release nitrogen more slowly than synthetic fertilizers, they can result in lower soil nitrogen levels…and consequently, lower amino acid levels in tea leaves. For that reason, Organic Matcha is milder than most ceremonial grades (such as our Jobetsugi Ceremonial Matcha). Drink it by itself or as a hot or cold latté.
Organic Matcha may hold special appeal for those who use matcha in food preparation, as this blend may be blended into cakes, sprinkled on salmon, and mixed with yogurt to create a delicious green sauce.
Jobetsugi Ceremonial Matcha (Thin Grade)
Ceremonial grade matcha refers to matchas suitable for a Japanese Tea Ceremony. These blends are even higher quality, offering a vibrant green color, a smooth texture, a naturally sweet umami flavor, and a high antioxidant content.
Our Jobetsugi Ceremonial Matcha is sourced from the Watzuka Valley south of Uji, Japan. Tencha leaves used to make this excellent matcha are harvested around May…a time when the amino acids that create umami flavors are at their best. Offering subtle aromas of honeydew melon and spinach, this matcha’s flavor is also reminiscent of melons, spinach…even lettuce.
Jobetsugi is a good fit for matcha drinkers who like the ceremonial style but want a cleaner, less concentrated experience…one that’s not heavier or richer.
Senjunomukashi Ceremonial Matcha (Thick Grade)
An excellent blend from Joyo (just south of Uji, Japan), our Senjunomukashi Ceremonial Matcha (used in traditional Japanese tea ceremonies) is considered a thick matcha. Its strong umami and vegetal sweetness create a robust, mouth-filling (head-filling, even) profile with more depth and richness than our Jobetsugi Ceremonial Matcha. It also has a classic thick matcha texture…smooth and dense, with a texture comparable to syrup. When more matcha powder is added, the tea takes on an even thicker consistency. The aroma carries notes of green spinach and honeydew melon, while the flavors are comparable to those of spinach and swiss chard.
Senjunomukashi is appropriate for those who are already familiar with ceremonial matcha and are able to appreciate its richer texture. Because it lacks bitterness, it can be prepared with a higher concentration of matcha, yielding a naturally thicker, more luxurious cup.
Unjonotomo Ceremonial Matcha (Extra Thick Grade)
Unjonotomo Ceremonial Matcha is our highest grade ceremonial matcha: a super-premium blend reserved for special ceremonies. The deeply shaded tencha leaves are grown in rich soil on the banks of Japan’s Uji River, and harvested only once per season to create maximum levels of umami. Unjonotomo’s aroma is faint, hinting at honeydew melon over a base note of cooked spinach. A joy to drink, Unjonotono is the sweetest and creamiest of our thick-bodied matchas, offering flavors of spinach and artichoke.
This blend may appeal most to experienced drinkers of ceremonial matcha, who are best equipped to enjoy premium, high-impact matcha.
Different Methods for Different Ceremonial Matchas
In Japan, traditional tea ceremonies commonly feature matcha prepared in one of two styles: usucha (“thin tea”) or koicha (“thick tea”).
Usucha, which uses less matcha powder and more water, is vigorously whisked to produce a frothy drink with a thinner mouth feel. Our Jobetsugi Ceremonial Matcha would traditionally be made using the usucha method.
Koicha, which begins with higher quality tencha leaves, is prepared with more matcha powder and less water. Gentle stirring results in a highly concentrated beverage that has a thicker, richer, and smoother body. Koicha also ends up being a slightly runny paste, by design. Anticipation is emphasized, as the flavors of this delicious matcha slowly and gradually reveal themselves. Our Senjunomukashi Ceremonial Matcha and Unjonotomo Ceremonial Matcha would both be suitable for preparation in the koicha style.
So, Which Matcha Is Right for You?
That all depends where you fall on our just-now-invented Matcha Experience Scale.
New matcha drinker? If you’ve never tasted matcha before, then our Organic Everyday Matcha or Organic Matcha might be the smoothest entry points of the six matchas listed above. (Although, for the record, my dad disagrees. He suggests starting with our thin-grade Jobetsugi Ceremonial Matcha and making it as recommended in this video.)
Looking for a richer experience? Supreme Matcha offers a mid-range feel, while Jobetsugi (our lightest ceremonial option) eases drinkers into advanced states of boldness.
Ready for traditional ceremonial intensity and sweetness? Our thick Senjunomukashi or extra thick Unjonotomo appeal to experienced ceremonial drinkers, offering a special matcha experience with rich, robust depth.
Whether you’re a novice, intermediate, or veteran matcha drinker, we wish you the best of luck in your tasting journey, as you search for the matcha that most matches your mode.
