Pinnacle batch of Tsuyuhikari Matcha from the pristine area of Tenryu. Incredibly creamy and velvety with chocolate, nut butters and cereal milk.
Every year we search for a peerless Matcha experience - rich, bold and deep in aromatics with a voluptuous and soft mouthfeel.
Usually, we source this Matcha from our connections in Uji, but this year we found their offerings either tasting rushed or insanely expensive (you can blame the Matcha trends).
So we searched further afield and found this ridiculously delicious Tsuyuhikari Matcha being produced in Tenryu, Shizuoka.
While this area is a historic tea-producing part of Japan, it is not the origin of Matcha like Uji. But tea evolves, and this beauty tastes up there with the most sublime Matcha we have tasted in our 20 years of sourcing.
The Tsuyuhikari cultivar was specifically developed for this prefecture in Japan and was made in the 1970's by crossing the Astsuyu and Shizu varieties. The result is a vibrant green leaf with pronounced, warm umami, soft florals and no bitterness.
On the nose, you are immersed in the comfort of warm oat biscuits, chocolate porridge, butter and roasted pecans
Sipping this frothed up Matcha is a textural delight - soft, thick, unctuous and creamy. So far removed from the eye-squinting harshness of lower-grade Matcha.
The taste has a wonderfully controllled umami savouriness which blends with chocolate, nut butters and whipped cream desserts leading to a powdery floral sweetness and light melon juiciness.
This Matcha is the epitome of creaminess. It is such an indulgent, soft and rich Matcha with almost zero bitterness.
It is perfect for Usucha or Koicha or can be used to make a very creamy milky Matcha.
Our Uji Saemidori Matcha definitely has more edge in terms of those distinctive and delightful bitters and so choosing is a matter of preference - sometimes you will want to have a little extra brightness and sometimes you just want rich creaminess.
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 using a teaspoon (or 2 Chashaku scoops) which is about 2g 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.
