The more we know, the better. The less - the more they try to hide from us, or the supplier simply lacks competence in understanding the product. Ideally, the match packaging should include the following information:
Where does your tea grow? What region is this?
Best of all, when it's Japan — the terroir, the finish, and the culture, if we're talking about matcha. But the region, such as Shimane, Uji, Kagoshima, Miyazaki, Nara, is also important. Matchaer's matcha comes from the Shimane and Uji regions.
Tea cultivation?
In addition to Camelia Senensis, we must understand that tea cultivation also plays a colossal role. After all, it is like understanding what exactly we use. We use Okumidori and the more complex Yabukita.
If you do not have information about the cultivation, it is similar to wine: many different varieties are simply mixed and poured into one bottle. It is pleasant for you to drink and understand
Processing/shading method?
It is also a factor that shapes the taste: how much the tea has spent in the shade, and what kind of shade it is. Each of our teas goes through 15 to 40 days of shading with various methods of covering.
When is your tea harvested and ground?
This is already a question of product freshness. It is good to drink tea that is not older than 6-9 months from the date of grinding.
It is good when the date of grinding is indicated, and not just what year it is tea.
In our case, we store spring tea in vacuum chambers, and before sending tencha, it is ground on ceramic grinders.
Therefore, we strongly advise you to choose proven suppliers of tea and not to buy "blindly" ☘️