8 Tips To Determine The Quality Of Matcha You're Sipping On

1. Bright Colour

[{"selector":"#anim-dbeff1c2-ebea-44d7-8d68-6b7a58a37d27","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7646cad8-30d1-4c6f-ac07-c11434a55261","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 204.49168%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Credits: Unsplash High-quality matcha powder is a brilliant, bright green. This intense colour means it’s made from young tea leaves grown in the shade.

2. Fine Texture

[{"selector":"#anim-c24dee84-09cd-42ab-9079-faa9dc5bbb07","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-341d6196-ee35-4737-acf2-1048f823a07e","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 384.44468%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Credits: Unsplash Good matcha powder feels like soft, silky flour when rubbed between your fingers.

3. Fresh Aroma

[{"selector":"#anim-f054f6f5-d044-4325-bb05-c328427fad3c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-28ca22e8-db93-43c4-ad9a-a536ef7552dd","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 384.44468%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Credits: Unsplash Take a sniff! High-quality matcha has a delicate, sweet, and grassy aroma.

4. Smooth Taste

[{"selector":"#anim-7bc2c28c-f9be-4190-a65a-d1eddc92b245","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-57f3ee50-77bb-43f5-867e-5f6fb48c1b4d","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 204.49168%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Credits: Unsplash Good matcha delivers a smooth, creamy texture on your palate with a natural umami (savoury) flavour and mild sweetness.

5. Thick Foam

[{"selector":"#anim-967523f9-9c1b-46e0-ae1b-352e5c28a24e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-72ba4bbd-041e-47da-b6c7-f240c300cdb2","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 266.97521%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Credits: Unsplash When whisked traditionally, quality matcha produces a dense, bright green foam on top.

6. Japanese Origin

[{"selector":"#anim-b1fde281-fa7c-468a-b2ae-3d9ca9587f2e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-105effe0-327a-496e-a880-fd5a8838b385","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 266.97521%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Credits: Unsplash Most premium matcha comes from Japan, especially regions like Uji, Nishio, and Shizuoka.

7. Airtight Packaging

[{"selector":"#anim-3f3805f2-a1f2-4dbe-9c82-f7a62e117a08","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f3c27501-d9bb-485a-9632-2d71fef4788f","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 204.49168%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Credits: Unsplash Matcha oxidises quickly, losing flavour and colour when exposed to light and air. Good-quality matcha usually comes in small, airtight, and opaque tins.

8. Price

[{"selector":"#anim-a6f12486-82d1-43f2-8e8d-758241865f39","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4aeefbda-d27a-4d66-9df6-93057fa4174d","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 266.97521%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Credits: Unsplash While expensive doesn’t always mean perfect, very cheap matcha is often lower quality or blended with fillers.

[{"selector":"#anim-8938ca24-5cfc-4f45-a2d8-320b84082deb","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6660536b-df8e-43bf-8d72-fa7b10f1c51e","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 425.30846%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Credits: Unsplash If you keep these tips in mind next time you sip matcha, you’ll be able to savour the real deal.