Ceremonial vs premium matcha: which one should you buy?

The labels are not official grades

Japan has no official grading system for matcha. Words like ceremonial, premium and culinary are names shops use to describe what a matcha is best for. Two brands can mean different things by the same word, so it helps to know what actually makes one matcha better than another.

What really makes matcha taste better

• When the leaves are picked. The spring harvest gives the softest leaves, with more natural sweetness and savoury umami. Later harvests taste stronger and more bitter.
• Shade before harvest. Covering the tea plants for a few weeks makes the leaves greener and sweeter.
• Only the soft leaf. Stems and veins are removed before milling, so the powder is smooth instead of grassy and sharp.
• Slow stone milling. Grinding slowly keeps the powder very fine and stops it from heating up, which protects colour and aroma.
• Freshness. Matcha loses colour and taste after opening. A sealed tin, kept cool and dark, makes a real difference.

How they taste side by side

Which one to buy

You drink matcha with just water

Choose ceremonial. With nothing added, you taste everything, so sweetness and low bitterness matter most. Our Okumidori Ceremonial from Kagoshima is creamy and rich with very little bitterness.

You make lattes or iced matcha most days

Choose premium. Milk softens bitterness and brings out the fresh, grassy taste, so you get a great latte for less. Our Yabukita Premium from Shizuoka is our everyday pick for hot and iced lattes.

You want one tin for both

A ceremonial Yabukita sits in between: smooth enough to drink with water, with enough body for lattes. See Yabukita Ceremonial.

Cost per cup

A 12oz latte uses about 4–5g of matcha, so a 50g tin makes about 10–12 lattes. A traditional bowl with water uses only about 2g, so the same tin makes about 25 bowls. That is why ceremonial matcha costs less per serving than it looks when you drink it straight.

How to spot good matcha

• Colour: bright green. Yellow or brown powder is old or low quality.
• Smell: fresh, sweet and grassy, never dusty or like hay.
• Texture: very fine and soft, like eyeshadow.
• Origin: the region in Japan is named, for example Shizuoka, Kagoshima or Uji.
• Price: real Japanese matcha is never very cheap. A bargain price for a big bag is usually a warning sign.

Questions

Can I use ceremonial matcha in a latte?

Yes. It makes a smooth, sweet latte. You pay for delicate flavour that milk partly covers, so many people keep ceremonial for drinking with water and use premium for lattes.

Is premium matcha lower quality?

No. It is still Japanese matcha, picked for a bolder taste that holds up to milk, ice and sugar. It is a different job, not a worse tea.

Are ceremonial and premium official grades?

No. Japan has no official matcha grading. Shops use these words to describe how a matcha is meant to be used, so look at the origin, colour, smell and taste.

How long does matcha stay fresh?

Sealed, it keeps until the best-before date. Once opened, close it tightly, keep it cool and away from light, and finish it within one to two months for the best colour and taste.