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First Harvest in Japan!

Marc St Raymond

May is time for the first harvest in Japan

It's May already (where does the time go?), which means it's time for the first harvest in Japan!

Back in April, the first new shoots of the season appeared at the tips of the Camellia sinensis tea plant.  Shortly after that, matcha plantations were shaded for about 20 days using a large overhead framework of screens. This served to shut out direct sunlight, reducing the rate of photosynthesis which results in high levels of theanine, the amino acid responsible for the full-bodied flavor of matcha.
Now, in early May, the "first flush" of tea leaves are carefully picked. These young leaves are considered by connoisseurs to be the absolute finest in quality, freshness and flavor. 

Both of our Ceremonial Grade matchas are produced exclusively from these first harvest tea leaves...which begs the question: why the difference in quality and price? 

Premium vs Classic Ceremonial - what's the difference?

 
Since both of our ceremonial grades are produced using first harvest tea leaves from the same region (Uji), the difference comes down to how selectively the tea leaves are chosen.

Once the first flush leaves are picked, they are sorted and graded by expert Tea Masters according to color, flavor, aroma, and other dimensions.  The very best tea leaves go on to become our Premium Ceremonial Grade, while the leaves one step down are used to make our Classic Ceremonial Grade.

Both of our ceremonial grades are excellent to consume on their own as tea in the traditional preparation. Some customers prefer the slightly more luxurious taste of premium, while some are perfectly content with classic. It all comes down to your preference as to which one is right for you. Try some today!

==> Check out our ceremonial grade matchas

(And if you need all the tools for traditional matcha prep, grab one of our gift sets here).