Sugimoto Yui Organic Ceremonial Matcha - Tin

1 oz tin - Japan

In 1946, in the tea fields of Shizuoka, a man named Zenichi Sugimoto set out with a simple conviction: that good tea could make people's lives a little richer. He delivered it himself, by bicycle, leaf by leaf. Three generations later, his family still runs the company that bears his name, still rooted in the same belief, still working directly with the farms that grow the leaves.

Their ceremonial matcha begins in the shade. Weeks before harvest, the tea plants are covered, coaxed away from direct sun. This quiet act of patience is where the magic happens — the shading deepens the leaves to a vivid green, swells their umami, and gently strips away the bitterness that lesser teas carry. Only the youngest, most tender leaves are chosen. 

They become tencha, which is then stone-ground into the fine, brilliant powder that is matcha.

This is the higher tier, the one meant to be tasted on its own. Whisked simply with hot water as usucha, it reveals itself: smoother, more savory, with a sweeter aroma than the everyday matcha Sugimoto also makes. 

Certified organic, unsweetened, nothing added and nothing hidden. If their daily blend is the comfortable weekday cup, this is the one you reach for when you want to slow down and pay attention.

Preparing it is its own small ritual. Sift half a teaspoon into a bowl. Heat your water to around 180°F — hot, but never quite boiling. Pour in just a splash and whisk until the powder dissolves into a smooth paste, then add up to three ounces more and whisk briskly until a soft froth rises to the surface. And on a warm afternoon, there's another way entirely: a full teaspoon shaken into eight ounces of ice water, cold and bright and clean.