How to Spot a High-Quality Matcha?

How to Read the Matcha Label Like a Connoisseur

A truly high-quality matcha will proudly display its provenance and specific characteristics. If the label is vague, it's often a sign that quality details are being hidden. Here are the three critical details to check on any label:

1. Origin: Where is the Matcha From? (Geographic Authenticity)

The number one rule is that high-quality matcha are mostly from Japan. If a label just says "Matcha Green Tea Powder" without a country, it's highly likely to be inferior green tea powder from elsewhere, often lacking the necessary shade-growing or processing standards.

• Look for: The country of origin (Japan)
• Best Scenario: The label names the specific region, such as Uji (Kyoto), Nishio, or Kagoshima. These regions are the historical and modern centres for high-grade matcha production

2. Harvest: Is it 1st Flush? (Peak Quality)

The best matcha is made from the earliest leaves of the season. Knowing the harvest period ensures you're getting the freshest, sweetest, and most nutrient-rich powder.

• Look for: The term "First Flush" (Ichibancha) or a specific mention of the Spring Harvest (typically April/May)
• Pay attention: Matcha made from later harvests (Nibancha, Sanbancha), as these leaves are coarser, more bitter, and contain less L-theanine

3. Cultivar: Single vs. Blend (Flavour Purity)

The cultivar is the specific variety of the tea plant (Camellia sinensis). This is a mark of true ceremonial-grade dedication.

• Single Cultivar: High-end matcha often uses a single cultivar (like Okumidori, Saemidori, etc). This is a practice similar to wine or coffee, where the focus is on a pure, consistent, and nuanced flavour profile unique to that varietal. This signals an elegant flavour that is free from the harsh, bitter notes sometimes found in blends
• Blends: Most commercial matcha, even ceremonial grades, are blends of several cultivars to maintain a consistent flavour year-round or to cut costs. While not inherently bad, a single cultivar often signals a focus on purity and complexity

At POEMS Tea Atelier, we believe the best matcha is a result of unwavering respect for three golden rules: the harvest, the leaf, and the craftsmanship. This is what makes our matcha different from the rest.

The Golden Rules of Quality

1. The Harvest: The Valuable 1st Flush (Ichibancha)

Our matcha is made exclusively from the 1st flush tea leaves (Ichibancha), meaning the very first harvest of Spring. After a long winter dormancy, the tea plants are at their peak, producing the most tender, nutrient-rich, and flavourful leaves of the entire year.  delivering a smoother taste and higher concentration of L-theanine and chlorophyll.

2. Tea Leaf: Single Cultivar Tencha

True matcha is made from Tencha leaves. Tea plants are carefully shaded for about three weeks before harvest, protecting them from direct sunlight. This process forces the plant to produce more chlorophyll and L-theanine, which gives matcha its incredible sweetness and famous vivid green colour.

Our ceremonial matcha takes this a step further by using single-cultivar Tencha leaves, such as the Okumidori and Saemidori.

3.  The Craftsmanship

Our ceremonial matcha is not simply ground, it is patiently transformed. Using traditional granite grinders that rotate slowly, each batch is stone-milled in small quantities. This low-temperature, slow-grinding process is a labour of love, as each stone mill produces only about 30g of matcha per hour. It’s this meticulous process that preserves the tea’s delicate flavour, aroma, and silky-smooth texture.

4. Flavour Profile

Many commercial matcha brands use low-grade leaves and add artificial colour, flavouring, and additives to cover up a dull taste and pale colour. Our commitment to natural cultivation ensures a pure & vibrant Matcha & Hojicha are naturally sweet, rich, yet with minimal astringency. It's ideal for sipping straight, whisked with hot water in a calm ritual.

Choosing the Right Matcha for You

Whether you're starting your matcha journey or refining your palate, it helps to identify a good matcha from the bad. If you're after a tea experience with deep flavour and tradition, our Ceremonial matcha collection is for you. If you are after lattes or smoothies, our All Purpose Matcha & Hojicha offers great versatility without compromising quality.