Matcha Labeling (Part 3): Classifications and Matcha Quality

For better or worse we only have 2 classifications of matcha that are widely used outside of Japan: Culinary Grade and Ceremonial Grade. There have been countless articles written about the difference and not all of them are in agreement with each other.

In broad-strokes, ceremonial grade should always mean higher quality and culinary grade usually implies lower quality. As descriptive names should reflect the producer's intention, "culinary grade" should indicate that the matcha is of high enough quality to be used as an ingredient, whether in a latte, cookie, or cheesecake. On the other hand, "ceremonial grade" should imply that it's of sufficient quality to be served in a tea ceremony, meaning it's palatable when prepared with just hot water.

But lets assume that the general rules about quality and classifications are directionally correct - most brands don’t want to stake their reputations on a low quality “ceremonial grade” product. What does quality mean?

Matcha and Quality

Quality can be qualitative or quantitative. Matcha quality can be quantitatively measured by things like altitude, the number of days it was shaded, and how fresh the ground tea is. It can also be measured by more qualitative metrics such as heritage, sensory experience, and the skill of the blender.

Most of the things that we use to judge matcha quality are ultimately subjective benchmarks for what is generally considered good by other people. Quality and preference live on a spectrum. On one end you have your personal preferences, things you might like or dislike in a product; on the other end you can make a quality judgement about a product regardless of your personal feelings about it. Tea professionals can distinguish high and low quality tea even if they don’t particularly care for it as a consumer.

Quality is a social construct. It’s ultimately what other people would consider “quality”. Just like beauty standards can completely vary across cultural context, the nature of a quality product can be the same. So when training your palate to make distinctions on quality, you’re not judging it on whether or not you like it, but rather if other people would consider it high quality. This is the results of decades or centuries of preferences, investment in production, and optimization to achieve an outcome most people consider favorable. There’s probably a parallel universe somewhere where quality in matcha is defined entirely differently than what we consider it today. In fact if you were to take modern ceremonial grade matcha to Song Dynasty China there’s no guarantee anyone would like it or consider it high quality.

Status Quo of High Quality Matcha

Today’s standards for high quality matcha are the result of generations of optimization in the field and during processing to achieve a desired outcome:

• Umami taste is widely prized in Japan most famously in things like dashi and MSG, but this preference extends to tea, and in particular matcha
  • Hybridization and cultivar selection are selected based on taste, and umami is a flavor that is purposely bred and selected for in many cultivars
  • Fertilizer is used to make the soil nitrogen-rich, which is critical for the creation of a high concentration of nitrogenous amino acid compounds such as l-theanine which contribute to matcha’s savory, umami taste
  • Shading enhances the umami characteristics because photosynthesis converts many of the savory amino acid compounds into astringent and bitter polyphenols, such as catechins
  • Steaming locks in a tea’s green characteristics leading to a fresh taste. Umami can be controlled for by the length of steaming given the maturity and quality of the tea that was harvested

• Radiant color is one of matcha’s modern allures, especially for a culture that lets the camera eat first
  • Hybridization and cultivar selection are done at the breeding phase as some tea is naturally more dull in color while other matcha is naturally more green
  • Shading plays a huge role in matcha’s color development. When a plant does not receive enough sunlight, it adapts by producing more chlorophyll to absorb the limited sunlight it does get
  • Steaming denatures natural oxidative enzymes, in particular polyphenol oxidase. When done early in the tea making process, this is step that makes green tea, green tea versus a white tea, oolong, or black tea
  • Blending is a common way to achieve a target color outcome where more flavorful cultivars, terroirs, or harvests can be blended with more color-forward teas
  • Fresh milling matcha is critical for color preservation as matcha turns dull grey and yellow over time

• Delicate flavors that are often highly nuanced are the hallmark of specialty products, especially in making distinctions between products
  • Hybridization and cultivar selection have a high impact on the natural flavor variety found in matcha. Just like other products such as wine, apple cider, or coffee, tea comes in many different cultivated varietals, or cultivars, which look, taste, and smell different
  • Terroir, or the taste of the land ranging from the altitude, soil conditions, sunlight exposure, local flora and fauna, and microflora can all play a role in expressing different flavors from a tea plant. Typically conditions at higher altitude are considered to give more delicate teas. Similarly, plants that live in a more biodiverse environment produce better tea than mono-culture environments
  • Harvest method has a large impact on the final taste of the tea, especially when selecting for delicate flavors. Older, more mature leaves and stems have more catechins and are generally more bitter and astringent, while younger leaves and buds are much more soft and delicate in character. Hand-harvest tea is the gold standard as tea can be precision picked, while machine-harvesting methods are less discriminatory
  • Harvest season plays a significant role in tea quality. Spring is almost universally considered to be the best as it is the first buds to appear after winter. Summer or Autumn tea is usually inferior in quality and harvesting a plant too often can lead to less concentrated flavors over time
  • Processing decisions play a large role in accentuating or preserving delicate flavors. Things such as duration of steaming, temperature and time, and many other steps that fall outside of the scope of this article can alter the matcha's final flavor profile
  • Fresh milling matcha is critical for the delivery and preservation of matcha flavors. Matcha powder oxidizes easily, even after opening a new can the flavor can change significantly from week to week

• Reduced bitterness is generally preferred among modern consumers, overwhelming bitterness in tea can often trigger a strong aversion.
  • Hybridization and cultivar selection can be used to control bitterness as some breeds are naturally more bitter than others
  • Shading can prevent the conversion of amino acids into catechins, which are bitter and astringent
  • Harvest method, whether a tea is hand-picked or mechanically harvested can be an important step in controlling for bitterness
  • Fresh milling matcha is important, as old and stale matcha tends to create more bitter and astringent flavors

• Flavor profile consistency is a hallmark of quality in any brand, especially in Japan.
  • Blending is an art. There are matcha companies in Japan with centuries of experience in maintaining the flavor profile of their blends.

The Future of Labeling

Specialty matcha labels should reflect the values modern consumers and contain the information necessary for someone to develop a set of complex preferences. Consumers should be able to predict what they like and don’t like based on the information on the label. Factors such as origin, cultivar, harvest season, harvest method, shading duration, date of matcha milling, and other parameters that determine matcha’s quality should be labeled as transparently as possible. Poetic names and mysterious blends might appeal to our inner hedonist but do not allow for the cultivation of complex preferences that every specialty market needs.

Without better labels, consumers will have a weak mental model and will have to shoot in the dark when selecting products and vendors. If they miss the mark and make disappointing purchases over time, they’re at risk of falling off the tendency.

Matcha labels should also reflect the unique story and context behind the tea. Just like a great wall text at an art museum, it should provide consumers with just enough context to place a tea within their existing knowledge structure and clearly explain why it’s specialty in simple language. Delicious products can be enjoyed for a moment, but products with a story can live in our hearts and minds forever.

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