Uji-Hikari Single Cultivar Matcha by Master Tea Farmer Tsuji Kiyoharu

This top-shelf matcha from the Uji-hikari cultivar makes a bold first impression, featuring intense umami and distinctive nori notes that unfold into a remarkably smooth, creamy texture. The finish is long-lasting and complex, with deep umami character and a subtle citrus brightness. Despite its initial boldness, there's no astringency - just pure, refined depth. The Uji-hikari cultivar, typically used for both tencha and gyokuro production, shines here in its pure, unblended form.

Crafted in Shirakawa, Uji by Tsuji Kiyoharu, winner of the 2017 Prime Minister's Award for Agriculture, this tea showcases what's possible with innovative garden management. His approach - using unpruned trees harvested once annually and purely organic fertilizers - yields teas with some of the highest recorded levels of amino acids and theanine. Each batch undergoes 40 days of canopy shading before being meticulously hand-picked from the region's distinctive red clay soils.

Harvested in early May 2024 and ground in late October after proper resting, each 20-gram portion provides approximately ten usucha servings when prepared in the traditional 2-gram measure.