Get the Tencha
What is Matcha before it’s ground into powder? It’s an unrefined “crude tea” known as Tencha. We sell the Samidori Tencha Shirakawa (さみどり) we stone-mill here in Lawrenceville NJ into this Matcha. It’s an educational (and tasty) way to dive deeper into Matcha and Matcha production.
About This Matcha
Unlike most other Matcha which are blends consisting of multiple cultivars, and various years’ harvest. Blends both control the price of the final material, as well as office balance and a consistent taste from year to year.
Our Samidori here is a single variety & vintage (the year 2021.) Grinding a single cultivar is risky, as it allows for any flaws or extremes in the cultivar to be highlighted—there are no counterpoints to balance again.
While this is true, there is value in getting to experience a single cultivar from a single vintage. In the case of this Samidori, we find that there’s a great deal of inherent richness and complexity.
Matcha Details
Category: Green tea.
Subcategory: Kabusecha (かぶせ茶.)
Matcha Grade: Indigo (beyond Ceremonial grade.)
Terroir: Shirakawa, Uji, Kyoto, Japan.
Cultivar: Samidori (さみどり.)
Picking Method: 100% handpicked (手摘み, Tezumi.)
Vintage: 2021,
Shading Style: Kaireisha (Double-net cold gauze type - 95% light-blocked, 10% higher than the industry average.)
Shading Duration: 52 days.
Milling: Traditional Ishi-Usu Stone milled, in Lawrenceville NJ by Ooika.
Packaging: Cold stored, oxygen-free bag for optimal freshness.
Origin
Shirakawa, Uji, Kyoto, Japan
