After three weeks of shade growing, our leaves are a vibrant green, full of umami flavor and ready to be picked for harvest. The leaves are then steamed, dried, prepared and sealed so they stay fresh right until your drink is made.
Matcha powder is made from tencha, a green tea leaf that is shade-grown for around three weeks. The leaves are steamed and dried after harvest and are not rolled like other tea leaves. The stems are also removed. The leaves are ground with a mill, such as the one featured in the Cuzen Matcha Maker, which mimics the traditional tea mill.
Why shading?
Left: Non-shaded leaf Right: shaded leaf
Shading causes plants to work harder to photosynthesize, resulting in more vivid green leaves. L-theanine, an amino acid, changes to bitter catechins when exposed to sunlight. L-theanine is responsible for umami, the savory, brothy flavor in green tea, mushrooms and meat. Shading prevents bitterness and preserves high levels of L-theanine.
To drink matcha is to consume all the tea’s nutrients
Drinking matcha means consuming the entire leaf and all its available nutrients. Steeping tea allows only soluble nutrients to be consumed–about 30% of the plant’s nutrients. Because matcha is the only tea ground and digested, the benefits packed into this special plant are fully realized, unlike with any other tea. For this reason, it’s crucial for the tea to be grown organically, with careful attention to the natural resources used for cultivation.
Grown in a special place
We’re proud to work with Japanese tea farmers dedicated to high-quality organic tea production. They’re of the small number of Japanese farms that are fully organic.
The farms, located in the Kirishima area (literally “fog island”) of Kagoshima prefecture, are terrific natural environments for tea growth. The high altitude means fewer insects can live there, plus there’s usually a good amount of moisture in the air and plenty of sun, which help produce healthy leaves.
Our original blends
Three different blends. All from shade-grown organic harvests.
Unlike most Japanese green teas that are blended from different regions and varieites, single-origin teas are made of one variety from one place. This way, the unique qualities can then be appreciated, unaltered. The tea is often named after its origin, a place esteemed by connoisseurs. Favored for ceremonies and guests, single-origin is often reserved for special occasions.
Our Premium, Signature and Latte Blends come in 20 grams, 60 grams and 300 grams (five 60-gram packets). All three quantities are available with a subscription.
