While we were in Japan, we had our pick of Matcha options! We have brought to you a rare single cultivar Matcha produced by a 6th generation farmer whose ancestry and heritage in tea cultivation goes back to the Edo period.
Samidori is an iconic Tencha cultivar (cultivar used for making Matcha) in Uji, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan, while Asahi is a rare Tencha cultivar used to create championship and artisanal teas. The region's ideal soil, climate and mist from the Uji River create optimal conditions for growing premium quality tea. The majority of Matcha (80%) from Japan comes from the much more common Yabukita cultivar which is much more adaptable to different types of teas but with significantly less umami.
What makes this Matcha blend so unique is that the farmer adheres to the ancient practice of "Honzu" cultivation, even as modern farming methods dominate. Honzu cultivation uses natural, biodegradable materials such as straw and reeds to shade the tea plants. Shading by natural straw and reed screens is a sustainable but labor intensive approach, in contrast to the black plastic nets that most farmers use to shade their plants. The Honzu method enhances the tea plants' inherent sweetness and umami by filtering sunlight through straw and reeds, which diffuses light differently from synthetic nets. This method creates a more complex flavor with a hint of earthiness from the natural materials. This tea is also hand harvested so that only the first, most tender buds of the season are carefully selected to make this Matcha. The tea buds are handwashed, carefully dried, and then undergoes another process of separating leaves from stems. The leaves are then are stone ground, so the Matcha powder is very smooth. Every step of the Matcha making process is according to how traditional Uji Matcha is made and requires a lot of time and effort.
Samidori Matcha is celebrated for its softer or more refined umami and delicate sweetness with a smoother, more subtly elegant taste compared to Asahi. Asahi Matcha is known for a stronger umami and sweet creaminess. The blend of the 2 cultivars results in a nice balance of creamy sweetness and a light floral and fresh green fragrance. The Matcha blend is incredibly smooth with zero bitterness and astringency.
Each 8g bag allows for 4 servings (2g per serving) of this very rare and incredible Matcha.
