Johnny Matcha

Matcha 21 B+

Sale price Price $25.00 Regular price Unit price per

CULTIVAR: 35% SAMIDORI | 65% YABUKITA

ORIGIN: UJI SHIRAKAWA, KYOTO, JAPAN

HARVEST: FIRST FLUSH, EARLY MAY 2021

RECOMMENDED USE: USUCHA | ICED/HOT TEA | LATTE

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The Farm:

The Farm that this matcha is from is unquestionably the most renowned tencha farm in all of Uji. The grower of this tea is a 5th generation tea Farmer and he is an absolute genius, he is the only living farmer to be awarded by the Emperor on three separate occasions! His matcha has some of the highest amino acid and L-Theanine levels on record! The producer of this tea takes extreme pride in his ability to bring out the best in each plant. A collection of his matcha is sent to national competitions as well as regional competitions each year in the Kansai area. His organic fertilizer is carefully chosen–giving twice as much in comparison to other tea farms–making it possible for his plants to produce an insane amount of umami. The depth of umami in tencha/matcha is dependent upon the amount of L-Theanine present. When shading the tea, this farmer intentionally blocks 95% of sunlight (10% greater than the standard rate of 85%) in order to preserve the L-Theanine and umami. During the first flush (which is the only time this farmer harvests), each leaf is handpicked by professional pickers. Very soon after harvest, the tea is brought to the tencha factory, where it will begin processing immediately to ensure peak freshness.

Samidori:

an unregistered cultivar that originated in the Uji region and is widely used for matcha and gyokuro, two shade grown teas.

Yabukita:

Sugiyama Hikosaburo, developed this cultivar in a field north of a bamboo grove in Shizuoka in 1908. Yabukita is a combination of the words yabu (grove) and kita (north). This cultivar is frost resistant and hardy, can grow in a variety of environments, and has a strong flavor. Currently, it makes up 76% of Japanese tea and 69% of the tea consumed in Kyoto Prefecture.

What Is A Cultivar?

A cultivar, in the context of tea, is a natural or produced strain of the Camellia sinensis plant that has been selected for production based on features that set it apart from other strains.

How To Make

Ushucha:

Sift 2g (1 tsp) of matcha in a chawan (matcha bowl), add 65g (2.3oz) of hot water (175°F), whisk with a chasen (Japanese whisk) in a "W" motion until the matcha is smooth and has a fine foam.

Koicha:

Sift 4g of matcha in a chawan (matcha bowl), add 35g (1.23oz) of hot water (175°F), Whisk with a chasen (Japanese whisk) in a "W" motion at a controlled pace until the matcha is a paint-like consistency. (There shouldn't be any foam with koicha).

Iced tea / iced latte:

Add 2 ounces of filtered water to a shaker bottle, add 2g (1 tsp) of matcha, shake for 15-20 seconds and pour over ice water / iced milk.

Hot tea / hot latte:

Fill shaker bottle with 2 ounces of water, Add 1 teaspoon (2g) of matcha powder, Shake well for 15-20 seconds then Pour into a cup and add hot water (175°F) or STEAMED milK overtop.