Organic Handpicked Saki Midori Ceremonial Matcha

This Organic Handpicked Saki Midori (さきみどり) Ceremonial Matcha is a beautiful tea cultivar specifically bred to enhance the taste and appearance of the tea with a bright green color, fresh aroma, and mild, slightly sweet taste. 

 This Saki Midori Matcha is produced in the Uji, a region surrounded by rivers and mountains with a natural misty climate that helps protect the tea plants from frost, which can damage leaves, while promoting slow and steady growth, which enhances flavor development. The region’s soil is also rich in minerals, thanks to the volcanic activity in the area. This soil composition provides essential nutrients to the tea plants, contributing to the complexity and richness of the matcha’s flavor.

Despite the region’s fame and reputation, it is very difficult to find organic matcha from this region with this level of quality and flavor. This is why Leo was excited to find this unique matcha that is not only organic, but also hand picked and stone ground (石臼). Because of its premium quality, this matcha can be appreciated both as Koicha and Usucha.

When drinking Koicha Style, this matcha is creamy and smooth like whipping cream. It has a sweet and fresh cucumber aroma with a strong umami taste right at the beginning that quickly dissipates into a clean and creamy aftertaste. This Saki Midori Matcha’s quality and unique refreshing characteristics are most apparent when drank using this Koicha Style.  

To prepare Koicha Style: Use 2 grams of matcha (roughly 3 chashaku scoops) with 20ml of water at 65-70°C (155-165°F). After sifting the matcha into the bowl, pour half of the water into the same bowl and mix slowly to incorporate the matcha with the water. Try to avoid creating bubbles. Once the matcha is incorporated, pour the other half of the water into the bowl. This time try to incorporate any matcha stuck on the side of the bowl and patiently knead the matcha into the water so that there are no clumps. 

When drinking Usucha Style, the matcha retains its smoothness with a more pronounced freshness and sweetness reminiscent of cucumber. There is a short peak of umami in the middle with a clean and floral melon finish. 

To prepare Usucha Style: Use 1 grams of matcha (about 1.5 chashaku scoops) with 150ml of water at 65-70°C (155-165°F). Sift the matcha into the bowl, then with half of the amount of water, whisk briskly in an "M" shape until frothy. Try to break apart the big bubbles into a froth with small bubbles. Pour in the remaining water and whisk to incorporate. Draw one spiral shape ending in the middle with the whisk and pull out gently from the middle of the bowl. 

 For matcha drinkers seeking an organic matcha from the famous Uji region, this refreshing and vibrant Organic Handpicked Saki Midori (さきみどり) Ceremonial Matcha is for you.

Origin: Uji, Japan