BEHIND THE CRAFT
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Tea Craft: Where is Tea grown?

Most tea producing countries are found in a tropical belt around the equator, the finest teas are found at altitudes between 4000 and 6000 ft [‘high grown’], where mist and cloud protect the plants and allows a slower development and consequently, more flavour.

Whilst the majority of tea comes from countries like China, India, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Kenya and Japan, there are some new surprising origins. Tea is now successfully grown in New Zealand and Scotland for example. Indeed, a tea bush can be grown very successfully in your home with a little TLC.

Find out more about how tea is grown.

FGTE13379

Matcha Powdered Tea Pouch 25g

Net Weight: 25g

£28.00
Our traditionally ground ceremonial-grade matcha green tea is from the famous Hattori family garden, where passion, commitment and creativity combine to produce a a matcha with sensational colour and flavour.

The East India Company - Lifestyle

Tea

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£28.00
SPECIFICATION DELIVERY & RETURNS
Product Detail Experience How to Ingredients & Allergens
Matcha Green Tea has been drunk in Japan from the time of the Shoguns, but today it's considered an exotic and healthy addition to the tea category for millions in the western world.

Our matcha comes from a garden run by the Hattori Family in in Shizuoka. We consider passion and commitment as a given, but it was Hattori-san's creativity that resonated with our Tea Master - it is grown completely chemical-free and using traditional methods.

'Matcha' is in fact a rather functional name: in the Japanese language, ‘ma’ translates to rubbed or ground, while “cha” just means tea. So “ground tea” it is: an extremely fine powder made from green tea leaves.
The manufacturing process is unique. The base 'tencha' is grown under shade for a few weeks ahead of harvest, slowing growth and increasing the chlorophyll and amino acid theanine content.

The finest leaves are picked and dried, any veins and stems removed, then ground between granite stone to produce the finest powder that is a bright, vivid green. It takes 1 hour to slowly grind just 50g of leaves.

The finest examples are graded as 'ceremonial' and considered to be of sufficient quality to be used in the famous Japanese Tea Ceremony. See our instructions in 'How To' to try this yourself.
We think experiencing matcha for the first time is exciting, vibrant and life-affirming.

Our ceremonial matcha is a visual delight - a vibrant green coloured powder which retains its vividness in the bowl, with a fine frothy crema on top when made.

An unmistakable aroma and flavour of freshly cut grass, often creamy with a lasting sweetness.

Our high quality Ceremonial Matcha has been chosen from the revered Hattori Garden by our Tea Master, Lalith Lenadora.
Quantity

2 BAMBOO SPOONS (2G) PER CUP

Temperature

200ML OF WATER AT 80ºC

Brewing Time

3-4 MINS BREWING TIME


The Japanese Tea Ceremony

To drink your matcha in the traditional way, you need:

• A tea bowl (matcha is drunk from a bowl, similarly to how the French traditionally drink hot chocolate, not in a cup)
• A matcha scoop (or a teaspoon will be fine)
• A matcha whisk (or a small metal whisk will do the job)
Follow these instructions for a simple and time-honoured experience:

• Boil about 150ml water, allow to cool for 5 minutes
• Pour some of the water into the bowl, warm the whisk too in the water
• After 5 minutes, discard the water.
• Place 2 scoops of matcha powder [or just less than a teaspoon] into the bowl.
• Pour water onto the matcha, about 1/3rd of the way up
• Now for the whisking, the all-important part of the experience. Start whisking slowly in a zigzag pattern. Bubbles start to form as you increase speed, becoming smaller, turning to froth.
• You are finished whisking when the froth becomes almost creamy.
• It’s ready to drink, through the ‘crema’.

Ingredients

100% Green Tea

Storage

Store in a cool, dry place avoiding direct sunlight and strong odours.

Stories

What is Green Tea?

Just like Black Tea, it all starts with a small ‘just-plucked’ green tea leaf, usually about 5 cm long.

The leaf pickers deliver their leaves to the local factory for immediate processing. The core difference v Black Tea - the oxidation process that darkens the leaf is completely missing. The green leaf remains… green.

Step 1 - ‘Withering’: the whole leaves are spread out in warm air for up to a day to reduce the water content by about 10 to 20%. The leaves literally wilt and starts to lose some of its vibrant colour.

Step 2 - ‘Steaming/Pan Frying’: The critical ingredient to produce Green Tea. After withering, the wilted team is steamed or pan fried to destroy the enzymes that would otherwise be the catalyst for oxidation.
Step 3 - ‘Rolling / Shaping’: the soft leaves are shaped to requirement, either on a machine or by hand. This is where the world of green tea explodes in creating many unique teas, where a specific village may craft the tea to a characteristic and ownable shape. What emerges maybe the very large and thin leaves of Dragon Well Green Tea or the tight bullets of Gunpowder Tea.


Step 4 - ‘Drying’: the process varies from producer to producer and is sometimes integral to the shaping process. But in a nutshell, the Green Tea is heated in pans or ovens to remove remaining water content and ensure it is dry and stable for packaging.

Our spirit delivers no ordinary products

  • FAQ

    Does green tea include caffeine and is there more or less than black tea and coffee?
    Yes it does, and it varies. All tea leaves, just like coffee, contain caffeine. Tea usually has a lower level of caffeine than coffee, which averages around 95mg for a normal cup of coffee. But it is impossible to give a precise answer, because there are so many variables at play - the length of brew time, the amount of tea used, the age of the leaf, the provenance of the leaf. Even the temperature of the water. Our best advice is to treat all tea and coffee similarly if you need to manage your caffeine intake.

    I’ve heard that tea contains theanine. What is it and what does it do?
    Tea does indeed contain theanine, which is an amino acid [the building blocks of proteins]. Tea is one of only a few sources of theanine. It represents about 1% of dry weight and is at its highest concentrate in shade-grown teas like matcha and gyokuro. Whilst not yet proven in scientific studies that would permit specific health claims to be made, it is believed by many to be able to reduce mental and physical stress, promote relaxation and a sense of well-being. But not only that, it is more recently being thought to aid cognitive function. It’s one explanation for tea’s famous ability to create calm in a crisis [the Great British solution to all problems – ‘putting the kettle on’] and to stimulate when a little boost is required.

  • Delivery & Returns

    UK Standard Delivery: £3.95
    UK Next Day Delivery (mainland UK only): £9.95 (Order before 12pm)
    International Delivery is available, please see our delivery page for details. For more information and Terms & Conditions, please see our Delivery page.

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