Matcha (さえみどり抹茶) - Organic Saemidori Premium "Ceremonial" Grade
Kirishima, Kagoshima, Japan
Cultivar: Saemidori
Besides flavour and colour, premium grade matcha is further evaluated by a combination of plucking method and season.
The unregulated and Western appropriated term “ceremonial” is often used to imply high quality but what a premium grade matcha usually comprise of are shade-grown first flush (first spring harvest) leaves that are hand-picked, scissor cut or a combination of both. Grind size is usually 12 microns or less (once achieved via slow stone milling but nowadays possible with faster mechanics) leaving smooth, non-streaky trails when smeared and ultimately resulting in a creamier mouthfeel. Choice of cultivars is also a consideration for high quality matcha, in this case ours consists purely of Saemidori, generally one of the sweetest and brightest.
This matcha is grown organically from the mineral-rich volcanic soils of the Kirishima mountains. This grade of matcha is also only milled to order, maximising freshness and shelf-life.
Appearance: fine, bright green powder
Liquor: deep green
Taste: sugar snap peas, springwater, custard apple
Process: shade-grown, non-oxidised, steamed, lightly fired, stone-ground to order
As pictured, packed in NEW airtight screw top food-grade tin with animated break-seal design.
*NB: Keep airtight and store in freezer to maintain freshness
Preparation (usucha style):
Sieve 1-1.5g (beginners may prefer 1g) of matcha through to a drinking bowl. First, 10ml of 70C water and stir to make a paste. Then add 70ml of 70C water. Using a bamboo whisk, whisk vigorously in an "M" pattern. As it begins to foam, keep whisking while raising the whisk away from the bottom of the bowl to mid-depth. Continue whisking to break up larger bubbles until a consistent crema is formed.
