Ultra-creamy matcha from the historic Kawane region of Japan. Extremely small batch.
Kawan is one of Japan's most prestigious green tea regions and has been cultivating tea for centuries.
It has steep mountain slopes, frequent misty skies from the nearby Ōi River, and large day-to-night differences in temperature.
Perfect tea terroir.
It is, however, more famed for producing lightly steamed sencha and not particularly known for its matcha.
The global demand for matcha has led Kawane to develop their own matcha production by adapting shading techniques to the steep mountains and farming organic tencha.
This matcha was a standout during my sampling for being ultra creamy and smooth.
I was therefore shocked to find out that it is made from the Yabukita cultivar - more known for its vibrant and perky priofile.
The steep slopes of Kawane probably help - less sunlight means that the plant naturally produces fewer catechins (which have a bitter brightness).
This terrain also means that machinery can't be used on the tea terraces so all of the tencha has to be hand-picked, which is much more work than matcha growing in flatter plateaus.
Whatever magic they are doing up in Kawane, they have created a Yabukita matcha that tastes divine.
The aroma is cashews, milk, chocolate and a touch of fruity molasses, all enveloped with a creamy umami.
The texture is whipped and smooth with a very fine froth.
The taste continues the nutty and creamy indulgence.
We have cashew butter, mashed white beans, whipped cream, a touch of salted butterscotch and subtle cacao bitters.
If you like your matcha to be creamy, then this micro-batch is for you
All 30g matcha comes in beautiful porcelain green jars which are reusable and perfect for any tea storage.
Watch us sourcing matcha.
Directions
For Usucha, we recommend starting with a teaspoon (or 2 Chashaku scoops) which is about 2-3g placed in a bowl or Chawan for 60-70ml of cold or warm water (between 70 and 80 degrees). First, make a paste with a splash of warm water (between 70 and 80 degrees or 160-175F) with a Chasen whisk and then 50-60ml of warm water and whisk vigorously in a 'W' motion to make a smooth and frothy drink. Slurp and enjoy.
For Koicha (a much thicker and intense drink) you would use double the Matcha (2tsp or 4x Chashaku Scoops) with about 40ml of water and whisk slowly to make a smooth drink without froth.
We do not advise drinking before bed as it does contain caffeine.
