This is the Ito En Matcha. After a vigorous shake before opening, the beverage was an opaque, verdant green hue topped with a subtle layer of foam. Upon opening, it exuded a deep umami aroma that gradually transitioned to a more grassy quality. When consumed while chilled, the tea offered a smooth mouthfeel, with fresh vegetal notes of matcha immediately apparent at the start of each sip. A rich umami quality then emerged in the body of the flavour before yielding to a gentle and natural sweetness. Towards the end of the sip, the fine powdered matcha became subtly noticeable on the palate, as it was accompanied by a moderate astringency that lingered, along with a subtle grassy note in the aftertaste. All in all, this was a pleasing matcha that effectively captured the interplay of its natural vegetal, umami, and sweet qualities in an unsweetened form.
This Ito En Matcha contained 370 mL. It was produced in Japan and purchased in Sydney, Australia in 2023.