Tsuyuhikari & Sayamakaori from Shizuoka

“I was pleasantly surprised by this. I usually go for more Umami Matcha's but this is AMAZING! Definitely has that "graham cracker" note to it. When I make it into a latte the sweetness comes out. I would give this a try if you're eyeing it.” — Melissa's review of Sayamakaori from Shizuoka.

First, Melissa, if you are reading this, thank you for sharing your experience. We love that you decided to explore something outside your usual palate and discovered a profile you might not otherwise have chosen.

This is, in many ways, why we curate matcha.

We want to help you find matcha that aligns with the flavours you already know and enjoy. But we also want to create opportunities for discovery. A cultivar, origin, or tasting profile that falls outside your usual preferences, yet unexpectedly becomes a new favourite. Because that sense of discovery is exactly what keeps us endlessly fascinated by the world of tea.

Matcha cannot be explained in a single sentence. There is, of course, a technical definition. Matcha is produced from tencha, for which the leaves are shaded before harvest and processed through a specific series of steps without the rolling process commonly used for many other Japanese teas, and dried in a dedicated tencha oven (tencha-ro) before being milled into a fine powder.

But, from our point of view, the definition of matcha and the experience of tasting matcha are two different things.

One matcha can be deeply umami-forward, while another presents pronounced fruitiness. Some reveal floral or fresh green characteristics, others lean towards nuttiness, creaminess. Occasionally, as Melissa discovered, you encounter a profile reminiscent of something as specific as graham crackers.

These differences are not incidental. Cultivar, growing region/environment, shading, harvest season, processing, final firing, blending techniques, and the all other decisions of producers can contribute to what ultimately appears in the bowl.

Understanding those differences, and learning how to recognise them, is one of the ways we believe matcha becomes even more interesting.

That thinking inspired us to develop Explore by Tasting Notes, a way to help you discover matcha that suits your palate. Today, you can explore almost 70 different tasting profiles across our matcha selection, offering another way to navigate the collection beyond cultivar, region, or producers.

You may begin with the profiles you already know you enjoy. But we hope the tasting notes also encourage you to venture beyond them.

After all, your perfect matcha may not always be the one you expect, just like Melissa experienced with Sayamakaori from Shizuoka.

Cultivar, Tsuyuhikari

Now, let's introduce our recent launches. The Tsuyuhikari cultivar. Tsuyuhikari is a relatively new Japanese tea cultivar. Its application for variety registration was submitted in 2000, and by April 2001 it had been selected as one of Shizuoka Prefecture's recommended cultivars.

Despite its relatively short history, Tsuyuhikari has developed a strong presence in Japanese tea, particularly in Shizuoka, where its vivid colour and distinctive character make it an appealing cultivar for both producers and tea drinkers.

Part of Tsuyuhikari's character can be understood through its parentage. The cultivar was created by crossing Asatsuyu with Shizu 7132. Asatsuyu is particularly known for its rich umami and natural sweetness. So much so that it is sometimes referred to as "natural gyokuro." Tsuyuhikari inherits some of this character, which helps explain the generous umami and gentle quality often associated with the cultivar.

While Asatsuyu contributes to Tsuyuhikari's rich umami character, its other parent Shizu 7132, brings something quite different to the profile. Aroma.

Shizu 7132 is particularly known for its delicate fragrance, often described as reminiscent of cherry blossom leaves. This distinctive character is associated with coumarin, an aromatic compound, that is not found in Yabukita. Tsuyuhikari inherits some of this fresh aromatic character from Shizu 7132.

Looking at a cultivar's parents does not necessarily tell us exactly what we will taste in the bowl, but it definitely can offer valuable clues as to where some of those characteristics come from.

Cultivar, Sayamakaori

Sayamakaori was selected from seedlings produced through the natural cross-pollination of Yabukita, Japan's most widely cultivated tea cultivar. Its name already gives us a clue to one of its defining characteristics. Kaori (香) means "aroma" or "fragrance" in Japanese, and Sayamakaori is particularly known for its pronounced aromatic character.

Although it originated from Yabukita, the two cultivars can express themselves quite differently. Sayamakaori produces larger, thicker leaves and is typically harvested slightly earlier. In the cup, where Yabukita is often appreciated for its rounded balance of sweetness and astringency, Sayamakaori tends to be more assertive. Its relatively high tannin content contributes to a stronger astringency, accompanied by a rich and distinctive aroma.

That aromatic potential becomes especially interesting during processing. When the freshly harvested leaves are allowed to wither, Sayamakaori can develop a characteristic fragrance, and its combination of bold flavour and aroma has made the cultivar suitable not only for Japanese green tea but also for Wakocha (Japanese black tea).

The cultivar also has a natural connection to Sayama tea. Produced primarily in Saitama Prefecture, Sayama tea is traditionally regarded as one of Japan's three renowned regional teas, alongside Uji and Shizuoka. The region's relatively cold climate contributes to the concentrated flavour and aroma associated with its teas.

Sayamakaori is particularly well suited to these conditions. It has a strong cold resistance as well as vigorous growth and good yields-practical qualities for producers cultivating tea in cooler environments.

Why Preparation Style Matters

Alongside tasting notes, we also recommend the preparation style best suited to each matcha.

Preparation is not simply a matter of preference. It changes the way we perceive what is already present in the tea. The same matcha can show a very different balance of aroma, sweetness, umami, bitterness and astringency depending on its concentration, the amount of water used, and whether milk is introduced.

This is why some matcha naturally performs better in certain preparations than others.

In a latte, for example, milk can soften bitterness and astringency while bringing forward a matcha's sweeter, creamier or more confectionery qualities. At the same time, a matcha needs enough character to remain present alongside the milk. A profile that is beautifully delicate when prepared with water may become much less expressive in a latte.

Usucha offers a different perspective. With only matcha and water in the bowl, there is nowhere for the tea to hide. Its aroma, texture, balance and finish can be experienced more directly, which can make subtle characteristics much easier to appreciate.

Koicha takes this even further. With a much higher concentration of matcha and considerably less water, qualities such as body, umami, sweetness and texture become especially important. A matcha that feels beautifully balanced as usucha will not necessarily offer the same experience when prepared as koicha.

For this reason, we believe preparation recommendations should be more than a label added to a product page. They are part of understanding the matcha itself.

We intentionally curate our collection with different preparation styles in mind. Rather than expecting every matcha to do everything equally well, we look for individual character. Matcha that can stand confidently alongside milk, matcha whose subtleties are best appreciated with water, and matcha with the depth and structure to be explored at higher concentrations.

This also reflects the way our community actually drinks matcha. Many enjoy a latte every day. Others almost exclusively prepare their matcha straight. Some move between the two depending on the matcha, the occasion or simply what they feel like drinking that day.

For us, making authentic Japanese matcha more accessible does not mean simplifying it into a single way of drinking it. It means giving people enough information to make their own discoveries.

That is why we share tasting notes, cultivar, origin, and preparation guidance together. These details provide different ways of understanding what is in the bowl. And, more importantly, give you a better starting point for exploring it yourself together with us.

A latte drinker might discover that a matcha they love with milk has an entirely different personality as usucha. Some accustomed to drinking matcha straight might find a matcha whose character transforms unexpectedly in a latte.

Neither experience is more correct than the other. They are simply different expressions of the same tea. And sometimes, changing the preparation is all it takes to discover a side of matcha you did not know was there.

Map Rather Than a Score

It is easy to look at matcha in terms of hierarchy. More umami, more sweetness, less bitterness, a more vivid green colour. These certainly are important indicators when assessing the quality and character of matcha.

With all of this in mind, we want Explore by Tasting Notes to serve more as a map rather than a score.

Tasting profiles give us a way to describe the differences between matcha without necessarily placing one above another. A deeply umami-rich matcha offers one experience. A more fruity and floral one can offer another. Understanding those differences gives us more ways to appreciate what is in the bowl, rather than measuring every matcha against the same set of expectations.

Over time, this map can also help you understand your own palate more deeply. You may begin to recognise the characteristics you naturally gravitate towards, as well as those you tend to avoid. And once you have a clearer sense of where your preferences lie, it becomes much easier, and more interesting, to explore beyond them.

This is what we hope Explore by Tasting Notes can offer. A way to navigate the increasingly diverse and nuanced world of matcha with more context, while still leaving plenty of room for your personal interpretation.

Consider it a starting point for going deeper into matcha. Sometimes the map will lead you to exactly what you were looking for. Other times, it might take you somewhere you had never considered.

And perhaps, as Melissa discovered, that is where things get interesting.

-- Manae from Rebel Bunny