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A complete Matcha guide
matcha grades
& buyer's guide
Find out ways to identify the different qualities of matcha, and how to always find the perfect matcha grade for you.
Different matcha green tea grades and qualities
The quality of matcha is what we call the matcha grade. As for buying matcha, whatever the matcha grade, every matcha farmer applies the same agricultural process for the harvest and production of matcha tea.
It’s therefore worth learning how to recognise the differences between a high-quality matcha and lower-quality matcha, and when each can be used.
From an agricultural point of view, a matcha farmer can create as much as grades available as they desire. It all depends on factors such as the types of tea blends, harvest dates, and origin of the tea leaves. To make this easier for the consumer, the market created a difference in label between high-quality (ceremonial), medium quality (traditional) and lower quality (culinary). How to buy high-quality matcha?
Flavour Profile:
Vegetal and creamy, delicate with a sweet umami flavour
USE:
Tea whisked in a bowl
Flavour Profile:
Grassy, bitter aftertaste, no sweet flavours
USE:
Cooking & baking only
Ceremonial grade matcha ★★★
Ceremonial matcha is the highest and most premium quality among the other available matcha grades. It has a solid-green colour with a combination of delicate test & fine texture. Ceremonial grade matcha is made up of the youngest tea leaves which are stone-ground to make it appropriate for green tea with a thicker consistency.
Purpose
Made particularly for drinking, or raw consumption, mixing it up with warm water or milk to extract the optimum flavour.
Flavour
An organic, sweet & mild taste, with umami flavour, and a lingering sweet aftertaste. No bitterness at all.
Aroma, Colour & Feel
In its purest and original form, matcha powder has a highly fresh smell and smooth texture. The tone remains gloriously green throughout.
Usage
It has such fine quality that its natural aroma is felt best in its purest form only by adding water or milk. Definitely not for cooking or even baking.
Matcha For blending
Matcha For sipping
good
great
best
Traditional grade matcha ★★
Traditional matcha is an ideal choice for the ones who are new to the taste and concept of matcha. Unlike Ceremonial & Culinary, the Traditional matcha has a balanced green appearance – not too sharp and not too faded.
Purpose
This all-around quality is the right choice to begin with. Suitable for preparing tea.
Flavour
It has soft taste, not so sour, has a suitably complex taste, sometimes bitter.
Aroma, Colour & Feel
This matcha quality looks noticeably green. With a clean and fresh aroma.
Usage
Can be consumed in pure form with milk or water, or mixed with other ingredients such as sugar.
Culinary grade matcha ★
Culinary is used for baking and cooking, as you can probably tell by its name. It is prepared differently, yielding a robust flavour, while retaining a characteristic green shade.
Purpose
Culinary grade fits beautifully alongside other ingredients in numerous drinks and foods, such as smoothies and baked items.
Flavour
With a stronger flavour in comparison to Ceremonial quality matcha, Culinary is less sugary-sweet with more of a bitter essence.
Aroma, Colour & Feel
Culinary matcha quality might not look as bright-green as Ceremonial grade Matcha. However, its colour retains a vibrant hue.
Usage
Compared to other grades, you might need to add an extra scoop of culinary grade matcha to the recipe.
How to tell a good quality matcha
Not all matcha teas are created equal. Even if a label mentions a ceremonial experience, this is subject to origin, location, production date, storage and much more. You're the best person to identify a good quality matcha, so here's what to look for.
Rub the matcha through your fingers. Make sure it has a consistent grind, feels fine and smooth to touch. A good test is to put a little bit on a white paper and stain it out. Good quality matcha should leave a long and clean line, without breaks.
Look for a vibrant and bright green colour. Low-quality matcha often has a dull and yellow colour.
High-quality matcha smells like fresh leaves, with a somewhat vegetal aroma, while lower qualities tend to have a stale smell.
A high-quality grade should create a very creamy experience in the mouth, umami flavour with a lingering sweet aftertaste. A lower-quality grade has some bitterness and a grassy flavour.
A high-quality grade creates a thick, frothy, foamy layer of bubbles when whisked. This should also stay for a while. Low-quality grades tend to generate few bubbles that don't last long.
High-quality grades are only sold in airtight tin or glass containers to preserve their freshness. A zip-lock bag, plastic bag or others are always an indication of low quality.