While I have made matcha in a variety of bowls and cups, I only recently acquired my first handmade, entirely unique chawan. The only matcha I had on hand was getting old and very difficult to whisk, so I have been aching for the day when I could finally make a respectable matcha in a respectable vessel. Unfortunately, my not-especially-respectable tea budget for several months went towards said chawan and, since I was on Etsy anyway, several other tea apparatuses. I should really stop visiting that site.
But at last the time has come. I have completed the tea, chawan, whisk trifecta, and I am so very excited. The matcha itself comes in a crazy-adorable tin with a pop-tab-type lid. I almost can’t bring myself to crack it open. At about $25 for 30 grams, this is priced right in the matcha middle. It isn’t expensive enough that I expect perfection, but it’s well above your cooking-grade tea. I also appreciate that DoMatcha has a second flush, less expensive matcha, so you know they aren’t trying to pass the lesser quality off as the premium stuff. While on the surface it may seem pricey, I learned very quickly that cheap matcha will sit on my cupboard going stale while with every sip of the good stuff I’ll think, “So worth it.” This is quality stuff, and though it is also available in an organic version, today I’m sampling the original flavour.
Now to see if it’s worth it. I’m not exactly optimistic at the start. All the ‘health information’ they provide paired with the North American-style website and the fact that they appear to be based out of Vancouver make me worry that the tea is more gimicky than quality. Once I open the tea, the sweet, bold scent of the matcha is prominent. It is somewhat lumpy, and I am finicky, but I am easily able to sift it to get a beautiful, vibrant green powder.
The tea whisks up into a nice froth easily enough, and despite it sitting for several minutes from the preparation to the last sip, few bubbles managed to escape before I had the chance to drink them. The tea smells sweet and robust. It has an excellent mouthfeel and an overall smoothness. The tea has a very brothy/soupy texture and is sweetly vegetal. It is a delightful cup overall.
The most standout aspect for me is clearly the lingering sweet finish. I was unable to eat much of anything for some time after finishing my chawan of tea because all my food tasted mediocre underneathe the delightful aftertaste that lingered on my tongue. The memory remained distinctly at the front of my mind for hours, making me crave another cup.
It is hard to find a decent tea from Canadian companies, let alone a quality matcha, which is another reason I find myself surprised at how much I enjoyed this tea. I am quite pleased and excited for my next cup. It is certainly a matcha I would happily purchase again and proudly offer to anyone who wanted to drink it, experienced tea drinkers and matcha virgins alike.
