In Japan, matcha sales have sometimes had to be restricted or suspended in long-established tea houses. Currently, tea ceremony teachers and students are finding it difficult to obtain matcha to practice their art. However, even if one decides to increase the cultivated area to meet demand, it takes 3 to 5 years for a young tea tree to produce usable leaves. As a result, an immediate increase in production is not feasible. Matcha intended for the tea ceremony is a particularly difficult product to mass-produce due to the time and effort required.
Furthermore, from a Japanese perspective, it is surprising to see that many stores in the West sell "ceremonial" quality matcha to make lattes.
ref: opinion of a Kyoto grand tea master (instagram, JP & EN)
Indeed, it is not necessary to use the best quality matcha to mix with milk. Since Marucha opened in 2018, we have been recommending that our customers who wish to drink matcha with milk use a tea suitable for this purpose: the finesse and delicacy of some grand cru matchas do not withstand the addition of milk (animal or plant-based); if paired with milk, it is preferable to use a less refined powder with a fuller taste.
At MARUtCHA, we offer 5 organic/pesticide-free matchas to meet all your needs:
| Our matcha | Main cultivar | Harvest | Mill | Origin | Characteristics |
| for cooking | blend | 2nd | ceramic* | Shizuoka | pronounced taste even after adding fat or sugar |
| for latte | blend | blend of 1st and 2nd | ceramic* | Shizuoka | mixes well with milk/plant-based milks, not bitter |
| Uji | Okumidori and Yabukita | 1st | granite | Uji (Kyoto) | subtle and balanced, ideal for traditional matcha (without milk or sugar) |
| strong | Gokô predominant | 1st | granite | Kyoto | fine, strong and complex. Ideal for traditional matcha (without milk or sugar) |
| rich in umami | Okumidori predominant | 1st | granite | Kyoto | sweet, rich in umami and fragrant. Ideal for traditional matcha (without milk or sugar) |
* ground in a ceramic mill, which is faster and therefore cheaper than a traditional stone mill. Nevertheless, it guarantees less friction and less bitterness in the final result than matcha ground in an even cheaper metal mill.
Other posts about matcha:
- RTS Le point J interview "Where does matcha come from?"
- An update on the matcha situation in Europe
-
Matcha: a global trend, ceremonial quality is becoming rare
- Should matcha not come into contact with metal utensils?
- How to choose your matcha well?
- What is the precise definition of matcha?
- How to choose a good matcha bowl?