How to Tell Good Matcha From Expensive Matcha
Only two of fourteen American shops print a harvest date. What actually signals quality, what “ceremonial” is worth, and the tests that work at home.
Matcha Basics
“Uji Matcha”: What the Place Name Costs You, and What It Legally Means
Putting “Uji” on a tin adds about $2.40 to every bowl. What the name legally guarantees, why Nishio lost its protection, and where the value is.
Matcha Cultivars
Which Names Are Worth Paying For:Naming a Uji cultivar adds $2 a bowl. What Asahi, Samidori, Okumidori and Yabukita actually are, and which is the value pick.
“Ceremonial Grade” Matcha
What It Actually Means:There is no ceremonial grade. The label appears on matcha from 28 cents to over a dollar a gram. What to look at instead.