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Matchaful Hikari Single Origin Matcha
What we liked: Matchaful works directly with a fourth-generation farm in Shizuoka, Japan, for its single-estate matcha. The farm operates sustainably; it even shades the tea plants with solar panels. I picked up flavors of green banana, cucumber, and grapefruit pith in this matcha, and I found its brightness especially lovely in a latte.:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(webp)/rishi-tea-everyday-matcha-94d9ea98c94c4ba18dce216fb6860baf.jpg)
Rishi Tea Everyday Matcha Powder
What we liked: The organic, single-origin Everyday Matcha from Rishi Tea was hands-down the most approachable matcha for beginners. It was $12 for a 30-gram tin at the time of writing (or $0.40 per gram). Not only was it super affordable, but it was also good. The matcha tasted clean and grassy, balanced with medium bitterness, mild earthiness, and notes of underripe peach. It was an easy sipper in each preparation and would be great for drinking on the go. Given its price, it’s also a tremendous general-purpose matcha to keep on hand for lattes, smoothies, fruity tonics, and vibrant baked goods.:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(webp)/Naoki--Matcha-Superior-Ceremonial-Blend-60a6b8620e2e4177b8e9c46a053aff22.jpg)
Naoki Matcha Superior Ceremonial Blend
What we liked: The Naoki matcha was a true ceremonial grade matcha made with first-harvest leaves. Like the Rishi, it can be prepared hot or cold and with water or milk. It had a balanced, approachable profile with nuances of arugula, rhubarb, and Italian parsley. Since it comes in a larger 40-gram tin, it’s also great for matcha drinkers who like to experiment with making matcha tonics, treats, and smoothies.:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(webp)/Matcha-Bar--Premium-Blend-6dfbc4b0ac83408c85bdd0bdc512edf4.jpg)
Matcha Bar Premium Blend
What we liked: The Matcha Bar Premium Blend is another great place to start for beginners. It was an all-around star with full richness and umami. It felt more sophisticated than either of the budget picks, with light to moderate bitterness and astringency. While it was delightful in a latte, I also enjoyed picking up notes of pecans, alfalfa sprouts, and fresh mint when I mixed it with water.:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(webp)/ippodo-tea-ummon-matcha-19c25cc182d44a2393dd09b4662eb2ab.jpg)
Ippodo Tea Ummon Matcha
What we liked: Matcha lovers across the web widely praise Ippodo, and for good reason. The brand has been in the Japanese tea business for over 300 years and ships high-quality teas worldwide. This Ummon matcha was rich and umami with substantial vegetal notes of asparagus, green bell pepper, and kombu seaweed. In an usucha, it was a mature, nuanced sipper with a balanced bitterness that I delighted in savoring. As a shaken iced matcha, it was delicately savory, like a light dashi broth. I loved drinking it as a rejuvenating respite during afternoons.:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(webp)/Kettl-2022-House-Milled-Uji-Hikari-Matcha-11b2fc2c5ef8432ebe16f05cc39cee65.jpg)
Kettl 2022 House Milled Uji Hikari Matcha
What we liked: Kettl is a company that is known for forming direct partnerships with rural producers in Japan (like Kiyoharu Tsuji, who grew this one) to source Michelin-quality, stone-milled matcha. After tasting this gorgeous, viridescent matcha, my first word was, “WOAH!” While I had heard a lot about the umami that matcha could have (and even tasted a few I considered quite savory), this single-cultivar matcha expanded what I knew was possible. As an usucha, it had such an intense richness and minerality that it reminded me of anchovy-stuffed olives, seaweed, and MSG (in the best way). It also had fresh, soft notes of parsley, and I wrote that it tasted “like the cleanest bone broth imaginable.”Matchaful Hikari Single Origin Matcha
What we liked: Matchaful works directly with a fourth-generation farm in Shizuoka, Japan, for its single-estate matcha. The farm operates sustainably; it even shades the tea plants with solar panels. I picked up flavors of green banana, cucumber, and grapefruit pith in this matcha, and I found its brightness especially lovely in a latte.
Rishi Tea Everyday Matcha Powder
What we liked: The organic, single-origin Everyday Matcha from Rishi Tea was hands-down the most approachable matcha for beginners. It was $12 for a 30-gram tin at the time of writing (or $0.40 per gram). Not only was it super affordable, but it was also good. The matcha tasted clean and grassy, balanced with medium bitterness, mild earthiness, and notes of underripe peach. It was an easy sipper in each preparation and would be great for drinking on the go. Given its price, it’s also a tremendous general-purpose matcha to keep on hand for lattes, smoothies, fruity tonics, and vibrant baked goods.
Naoki Matcha Superior Ceremonial Blend
What we liked: The Naoki matcha was a true ceremonial grade matcha made with first-harvest leaves. Like the Rishi, it can be prepared hot or cold and with water or milk. It had a balanced, approachable profile with nuances of arugula, rhubarb, and Italian parsley. Since it comes in a larger 40-gram tin, it’s also great for matcha drinkers who like to experiment with making matcha tonics, treats, and smoothies.
Matcha Bar Premium Blend
What we liked: The Matcha Bar Premium Blend is another great place to start for beginners. It was an all-around star with full richness and umami. It felt more sophisticated than either of the budget picks, with light to moderate bitterness and astringency. While it was delightful in a latte, I also enjoyed picking up notes of pecans, alfalfa sprouts, and fresh mint when I mixed it with water.
Ippodo Tea Ummon Matcha
What we liked: Matcha lovers across the web widely praise Ippodo, and for good reason. The brand has been in the Japanese tea business for over 300 years and ships high-quality teas worldwide. This Ummon matcha was rich and umami with substantial vegetal notes of asparagus, green bell pepper, and kombu seaweed. In an usucha, it was a mature, nuanced sipper with a balanced bitterness that I delighted in savoring. As a shaken iced matcha, it was delicately savory, like a light dashi broth. I loved drinking it as a rejuvenating respite during afternoons.
Kettl 2022 House Milled Uji Hikari Matcha
What we liked: Kettl is a company that is known for forming direct partnerships with rural producers in Japan (like Kiyoharu Tsuji, who grew this one) to source Michelin-quality, stone-milled matcha. After tasting this gorgeous, viridescent matcha, my first word was, “WOAH!” While I had heard a lot about the umami that matcha could have (and even tasted a few I considered quite savory), this single-cultivar matcha expanded what I knew was possible. As an usucha, it had such an intense richness and minerality that it reminded me of anchovy-stuffed olives, seaweed, and MSG (in the best way). It also had fresh, soft notes of parsley, and I wrote that it tasted “like the cleanest bone broth imaginable.”
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