Premium Ceremonial Grade Uji Matcha - Pure Japanese First Harvest Ceremonial Grade Matcha Green Tea Powder from Uji, Japan (40g/1.4oz)

I began my Kiyo matcha journey with Wakyo, which was truly outstanding, everything I could hope for in a good matcha. However, I got it on sale, and its regular price is a bit too high for me. So then I went back to try the lower grades one by one, until I found one that I felt was the best compromise in order to save a little dough. I skipped Hatsumukashi, and after trying Shuga, I don't think I need to try it. Shuga was close to being a good compromise, but not quite good enough. Enter Toyokage. Let's get the rating out of the way: I'm giving this one 5 stars, even though I gave Wakyo (the grade above this one) 4 stars, despite being the better-tasting matcha. The reason is because, for me, Toyokage is just beyond my desired price point, but close enough that I feel the improvement in flavor is worth the slightly higher cost. Also, while it clumps a bit more than the lower grades, it doesn't clump as much as Wakyo does. As with all the other Kiyo matcha I've tried, the color of the powder is bright green. There may be some variation among them - the lower grades being slightly less vibrant - but it's probably a fine distinction (and difficult to be sure about, without opening multiple packages, which I will not do). Upon opening, the aroma is less pronounced than Wakyo, but more than Shuga. It smells like dark chocolate, similar to Shuga and the other lower grades, as opposed to the roasted nori of Wakyo. Same when water is added - more aroma than the lower grades, not as much as Wakyo. Similarly, the flavor is more robust than the lower grades, but slightly less than Wakyo. It is slightly bitter for koicha, but not bitter for usucha, which is why I feel it's worth the extra $3 over Shuga. It has a pronounced nutty quality - even moreso than Wakyo, which is sweeter and more vegetal (but in a good way) - and a very smooth, creamy texture. I think I may actually enjoy it in a latte even more than the Wakyo, although I find myself using slightly less milk, and thus end up with slightly less to drink, to get a smiliar amount of flavor. It's good for usucha, but Wakyo is noticeably superior. And of course the margin for koicha is even greater. The packaging has changed somewhat. With the Kiyo matcha I ordered in the past, the canisters were wrapped in clear plastic. Now, the plastic is gone, and the canisters have a top you have to pull off, under the lid. The matcha is still inside a sealed bag. For those of you with a little more money to spend, Wakyo is still clearly better. But for me, I think this one is closest to my sweet spot for price vs. quality.

I haven’t been disappointed with this choice of matcha. I’ve been reordering this for almost a year. I recommend keeping the tin in the refrigerator after opening. I’m not sure the lid gets air tight, and if you don’t use it all in about three months the flavor begins to get muted. But as long as you use it fresh it’s wonderful. Everyone makes their matcha differently but I have found that pouring 1-2 tbsp of room temperature water over the powder first to mix it, works best. Then add the hot water to the mixture. Keep the temp 160-170 F. I use 2 g of matcha to 120 ml and this is perfect for me. Your taste may vary, but this is a great matcha to learn with because it has excellent flavor.

I am new to matcha and have tried 4-5 five different brands is this price point and this the best one so far. Richest green, Nice creaminess not a lot of bitter notes but still rich in flavor. Still learning and exploring but I am sure I will circle back to this one. Sorry for the crappy photo was reviewing the whisk and that was the focus of the photo but you can see the nice foam and the rich green color. Want to give update several month later. First I want to be clear what version I order. It was Kiyo Matcha Premium Grade Toyokage Ceremonial Uji Matcha - Pure Japanese First Harvest Ceremonial Grade Matcha Green Tea Powder from Uji, Japan (40g/1.4oz) I have had over a dozen matcha now and at least 3 of these were superior. However those there were also significantly more expensive. The best was more than double price per gram and the other two about 20% more in price. One other observation I see with these teas is that the greener teas tend to have a little more moisture so they tend to clump a little more so you definitely have to use a sifter. It's counterintuitive, but the dryer tees are actually easier to mix, but I also think when you over dry delicate matcha and the tea you lose some flavor. I still stand by this being an excellent tea and I think it was separates it from a lot of others. It's a solid value at the high end. It's no longer the best tea I've tasted, but it's in the top 25% and I'm only talking about high end Matcha tea.

The matcha has a very nice green hue, however it is a bit strong for my taste so it can taste somewhat bitter. However, use it with a little honey when making your matcha lattes and it will taste amazing.

I haven't tried the other Kiyo grades so can't compare, but I have tried other brands including Marukyu Koyamaen (Aoarashi, Wako, Unkaku), and although I won't compare them, I will say I really like this Kiyo Premium grade. Noting that it's all subjective, and I actually like my matcha with a little bitterness, but also naturally sweet, creamy, without need to add sugar or milk. Speaking of subjectivity, I also drink Costco matcha both culinary grade & ceremonial, and enjoy them (although culinary grade does need milk or milk alternative and sometimes honey).