Today’s tea is Naoki’s Single-Origin Mame Matcha. This matcha is from a single tea field in Shizuoka, Japan. I’ve tried a number of Naoki’s Matchas – they have a good range of introductory teas to high-quality. Single-Origin Mame Matcha is from their Masters Collection, so there is a limited supply.
Tea and Preparation Method
That is very green. It has been a while since I’ve seen matcha this vibrant! Admittedly, the camera auto fakes it brighter but it is still quite vibrant in person. The powder itself is sweet and buttery scented.
Mame Matcha needed some sifting, there were a few clumps, though that could be my climate and it shipped during some hot weather. I attempted to follow the directions on Naoki’s site – 1 tsp (2.5grams), 75ml of 165F/ 74c water. Though, I fat poured and ended up at 85ml.
Impressively, this matcha whisked up foamy quickly and maintained the foam until the last sips of tea.
Tasting of Naoki’s Single-Origin Mame Matcha
Wow, this is an umami bomb! Immediately the texture is like drinking melted butter. The matcha is savory and rich that tastes buttery and nutty edamame. The sip quickly switches to crisp blades of grass with a hint of buttercup flowers. Aftertaste wise, this matcha has the aroma of clean sweet grass and leaves a refreshing cooling feeling in the mouth. This matcha is intense in flavor that it peaks to bitterness. As it cools, Mame Matcha sinks to creamy nutty button mushrooms but maintains the crisp vegetal flavor.
Comments
Naoki’s Single-Origin Mame Matcha is a high quality matcha with complex flavors. All the flavor notes are potent and clear. There’s plenty of complexity to make a matcha veteran happy, and blow the socks off someone newer to matcha and wanting to try a quality tea. At this time, it is $38 for 40grams and it’s worth it!
(tea provided for review)
