High vs Low Quality Matcha

Matcha has different grade and quality, but how do we know if the matcha we purchased is high or low quality? In this article we will show you how to differentiate them.

 

There are few characteristics that determine the quality of matcha.

 

Color

Color is the easiest way to find out the grade of a matcha powder. High quality has vibrant green color because of high content of chlorophyll, while lower grade has brown-yellowish color. Beware that some bitter sencha powder has greener color than matcha powder, therefore matcha color is a good guidance, but not always true. 

 

Harvest

High quality matcha only produced from first harvest tea leaves becuase it has highest amount of umami and nutrients. In current market, normally only ceremonial grade produced from first harvest. All our matcha are produced from first harvest even culinary grade.

 

Origin

There are many countries producing matcha, but the highest quality come from Japan.

 

Taste

High quality matcha has very low to none bitterness and high umami. Even our kitchen grade matcha has umami taste. Low quality powder such as sencha powder has only bitterness, you can't get any umami out of it.

 

Aroma

High quality matcha has a very pleasant mellow aroma especially for ceremonial matcha. Matcha should have a milkly aroma.

 

Price

Price may not be accurate because there are many less than honest sellers in the market sell low quality matcha (or sencha powder) at high price. 

 

In greentea.sg, our price is lower as compared to other seller because we source our matcha from tea farm directly, and we sell only true matcha which produced from first flush tencha.