The Magic of Matcha: How to Make and Enjoy It

Updated: May 2026

Matcha has become one of the most recognisable tea formats in the world, appearing in coffee shops, supermarkets and restaurant menus in forms that range from genuinely excellent to barely recognisable as tea. The trend has brought welcome attention to a drink with a remarkable history — but it has also produced a lot of products that use the word matcha loosely, with little connection to the real thing.

This post looks past the trend to what matcha actually is, where it comes from, what distinguishes good matcha from poor imitations, and how to prepare and enjoy it at home.

What matcha actually is

Matcha is a powdered green tea made from tencha leaves — a shade-grown variety of Camellia sinensis cultivated in Japan. Unlike conventional green tea, where leaves are steeped in water and discarded, matcha is whisked directly into the liquid, meaning you consume the whole leaf rather than just an infusion of it. The result is a richer, more intense flavour and a distinctively vivid green colour.

To qualify as genuine matcha, three conditions must be met: it must be grown and processed in Japan, it must use tencha leaves only, and the leaves must be shade-grown for the final weeks before harvest. That shading period — typically three to four weeks — encourages the plant to produce more chlorophyll and theanine as it compensates for reduced light, which is what gives matcha its characteristic depth of flavour and intensely green colour.

Many products described as matcha in supermarkets and coffee shops do not meet these criteria. They may use green tea powder from other origins, blend matcha with cheaper ingredients, or use culinary-grade material in a context where ceremonial grade is implied. Reading the label carefully — and knowing what to look for — makes the difference.

The history and culture behind it

Matcha has been central to Japanese cultural life since the twelfth century, when powdered tea was introduced from China and adopted by Buddhist monks as a focus for meditative practice. Over time it became embedded in Japanese social and aesthetic life — the formal tea ceremony, or chado, developed around matcha as a structured practice of mindfulness, hospitality and considered attention.

The ceremony around matcha preparation is precise and deliberate: the careful sifting of powder, the exact temperature of water, the specific whisking motion, the quality of the bowl. That attention to process is not incidental — it reflects a philosophy in which how you do something matters as much as the outcome. For many people, that spirit of deliberate preparation is part of what makes matcha appealing outside Japan too.

Our matcha comes from the Shimizu Tani garden in the Uji city prefecture of Kyoto — a single-origin, Soil Association certified organic ceremonial grade matcha from a plantation with a history dating back to the seventeenth century.

Ceremonial grade versus culinary grade

The distinction matters if you are buying matcha to drink rather than bake with. Ceremonial grade uses the finest first-harvest leaves, processed slowly by stone-grinding to produce a smooth, vivid powder suitable for drinking plain. Culinary grade uses later-harvest material — more astringent and bitter in profile, which works well in cooking but is less pleasant as a drink on its own.

If a product does not specify which grade it is, that is worth noting. Genuine ceremonial grade matcha is more expensive to produce and should be labelled clearly.

How to make matcha at home

The traditional preparation is straightforward once you have done it a few times. You do not need a full set of ceremonial equipment — a bowl, a fine sieve and a small whisk are enough to produce an excellent cup.

Sift first. Matcha powder clumps easily. Sifting a half teaspoon through a fine mesh sieve directly into your bowl breaks up those clumps and gives you a smoother result.

Use water at the right temperature. This is the most important step. Boiling water will scorch the powder and make the tea harsh and bitter. Water at around 75 to 80 degrees Celsius — boiled and left to cool for two to three minutes — is the right range. A temperature-controlled kettle makes this easy.

Whisk, don't stir. Add a small amount of the warm water first — around 50ml — and whisk briskly in a W or M motion until a fine froth forms on the surface. Then add more water to your preferred strength and whisk briefly again. A bamboo whisk (chasen) produces the best froth, but a small metal whisk works well too.

Drink immediately. Matcha settles quickly if left to stand. It is at its best straight after whisking.

Adapting matcha for everyday use

Not every cup needs to be a ceremony. Matcha works equally well as a quick weekday drink — a teaspoon sifted into a mug, whisked briefly with warm water, done in three minutes. It also makes an excellent base for a matcha latte: whisk the powder with a small amount of water first to form a paste, then add warm oat, almond or dairy milk and whisk again.

Culinary grade matcha has its own place in baking and cooking — it gives a distinctive, slightly earthy flavour to shortbread, cakes and ice cream that works particularly well alongside citrus or white chocolate.

How matcha fits into a wider tea routine

Matcha has a stronger, more complex flavour than most teas and is best enjoyed as its own occasion rather than a replacement for a daily brew. For lighter, everyday options that pair well with it across the week, our posts on organic peppermint tea and choosing everyday herbal teas cover the wider range.

Our ceremonial grade matcha from Shimizu Tani garden is available here: organic matcha green tea.