Chaism Ceremonial Grade Matcha Green Tea Powder - Premium First Harvest USDA Organic Gluten-Free Vegan, 100% Pure Unsweetened No Additives, 1.06oz Tin

Best Matcha, smooth taste, vibrant green, probably comes to about $2 a cup though, so while it's not cheap, it's still cheaper than a $6-7 cup at the cafe! Love this matcha.

It was vibrant and conveniently packaged. The texture of the powder was very fine. The powder mixes up quite well as long as the water is the right temperature - too hot or too cold, and it doesn't mix as well. The texture of the tea, once mixed with water, is subtly thicker and presents itself with a nice, rich, vibrant green. The taste hits several notes (I don't profess to be an officinado), but it was only slightly grassy, no bitterness, light, aromatic, with a very delicate/light floral note (barely there but enough to detect). After finishing the cup, I do not feel a rush of energy, but I find that it does promote a lighter and overall pleasant feeling of well-being. I do not have a lot of experience with Matcha powder in general, but I do really enjoy this tea.

Beautiful & affordable high quality matcha! This was my first time buying matcha powder— the color is very vibrant, and tastes great! No clumps, very smooth and fresh.

I’m a newbie to the matcha world, so I started out using Jade’s sweet cafe blend that I found in my local market. After reading reviews saying that it was basically baby’s first matcha, I decided to search for high quality. On a whim, I ordered Chaism, and it got here in a day without any damage or spillage. But like, a quarter of the can is missing, though. Initial thought: I wish it was full. I made a matcha immediately, and it was a huge difference. Fine powder, no sugar; easy to sift, paste, and whisk. Again, it’s unsweetened and a little chalky. If you don’t like a stronger taste, just doctor it up to your liking. I personally don’t like super sweet matcha, but this tea can allow you to control your sweetener. TL;DR, I recommend this brand for now. It’s a great quality powder, consistent, and works well with any matcha tea set. My only gripe is that the jar wasn’t filled to the top, but I’m finding that to be too normal these days.

Let me start by saying I am quickly becoming an Amazon matcha connoisseur. I am learning how to study where the Matcha is sourced from if it's authentic, stoneground and until now I was only buying product of Japan Matcha. I bought this by mistake early on and just opened it tonight. It was vivid green just as it's supposed to be for first Harvest. It tastes amazing as in the unami was perfectly balanced. I am now reading up on Chinese Matcha as it was started there but apparently the soil in Japan provides a higher grade of Matcha because of how it's prepared. Below I have included some research on the difference between Japanese Matcha and Chinese. Shade-Growing: Tea plants are shaded for several weeks before harvest, increasing chlorophyll and L-theanine content, resulting in a vibrant green color and pronounced umami flavor. Steaming and Air-Drying: The leaves are steamed to prevent oxidation and air-dried to preserve their flavor and nutrients. Stone-Grinding: Traditionally, and for ceremonial-grade matcha, leaves are slowly ground using granite stone mills (ishi-usu). This preserves the delicate flavor compounds and creates an ultra-fine, smooth powder that mixes beautifully with water. The process is slow, taking roughly an hour to grind 30 grams. Chinese Matcha: While the practice of powdered tea originated in China, the traditional methods of matcha production evolved differently. Today, Chinese matcha production differs from its Japanese counterpart in several ways: Lack of Shade-Growing: Chinese matcha is not typically grown in the shade, resulting in a less vibrant green color and a less pronounced umami flavor, according to Matcha.com. Pan-Frying: Chinese green tea, including some varieties used for matcha, is often pan-fried instead of steamed, which can alter the flavor profile, making it more earthy or even bitter, according to Matcha.com. Grinding Methods: Chinese matcha may be ground using faster, modern machinery, which generates heat that can degrade the tea's quality. Some is also still hand-ground, according to 3 Leaf Tea. This can result in a coarser, more inconsistent powder texture. After reading all of this I found this Matcha to be of a very high quality and as good if not better than some high grade I have had from Japan. I would definitely buy this again. I love preparing my matcha and it is truly a peaceful part of my day. This is quite expensive for a small amount so you really have to search for others to find your favorite at a fair price.

I have tried many matcha powders but I find myself always coming back to this one. It mixes well and has a vibrant green color. The taste is amazing and it’s very affordable for the quality. You won’t be disappointed!

I must say this is the best matcha to get whether you are starting out making matcha yourself or just enjoy making matcha for a long time now! It’s so good I order two bigger sizes! Amazing deep bright green color and sweeter taste! Great quality matcha doesn’t always have to come from Japan it seems! (Made in China)

A few weeks ago, I decided to purchase several of the top-selling Chinese matcha products on Amazon to conduct a side-by-side comparison. My intention was to test them under the same conditions and share my honest experience for anyone considering these products. A Little Background About Me As a daily matcha drinker, I consider myself somewhat of a matcha snob. I've tried various mid- to high-end Japanese brands and a few Western-Japanese ones, mainly from Amazon. I enjoy my matcha without sweeteners, typically having a latte and an usucha each day, with an occasional koicha if the quality is good. This routine gives me a sensitive palate, which might bias my reviews. Given the current matcha shortage in Japan, I wanted to explore Chinese matcha available on Amazon for daily lattes, though I wasn't looking for something for usucha. After testing nine different Chinese matcha products, I found none suitable for my taste. However, beginners or those who enjoy sweetened drinks might appreciate some of these options. I have tried higher-quality Chinese matcha from other sources that I would consider for lattes and even usucha, but those aren't typically found on Amazon, similar to high-end Japanese matcha. How I Evaluated These Matchas My ratings are based on the following criteria: - Color (dry powder and prepared) - Texture and fineness - Aroma - Whisking and microfoam quality - Mouthfeel - Bitterness and astringency - Overall balance and drinkability 👉 These ratings are comparative only among the Chinese matcha products sold on Amazon, not against Japanese matcha as a whole. A Quick Note on Flavor Descriptors You’ll notice that I frequently mention “grassy,” so it’s important to clarify what I mean by that. In this context, a grassy note in matcha is different from the vegetal characteristics commonly referenced when describing matcha's flavor. For me, vegetal notes can feel fresh, green, and clean, whereas grassy notes refer to a muddy, astringent, sometimes dirt-like mouthfeel, especially when unbalanced. Some Japanese matchas may have grassy notes, but they are generally balanced with other flavor profiles like umami, nuttiness, and creaminess. In many of the products I tested here, grassiness dominated the flavor, and I couldn't detect much umami or other tastes. It's also worth mentioning that many of these matchas seem to originate from the same region and possibly the same factories. Some may be white-label products with different quality standards from the same factory. I can confidently say that none of these matchas were true stone-milled matcha, regardless of what the sellers advertised. The powders were generally coarser and grainier than high-quality Japanese matcha. Lastly, please note that the photos may not accurately reflect the true color of the matcha due to lighting and oversaturated imaging from my iPhone. # Individual Rankings (From Worst to Best) 9. MatchaAdmire ⭐️ 1 / 5 This was the most difficult matcha for me to drink. The powder had a noticeably brownish tone, with very high bitterness and astringency, resulting in a muddy mouthfeel. Even when used as a latte base, it felt harsh and unbalanced. I wasn’t able to finish the cup. 8. Efoofan ⭐️ 1 / 5 This matcha had the weakest color in the group and a very coarse texture. While it was slightly less harsh than the previous entry, it remained highly astringent, muddy, and grassy. I found it unenjoyable without heavy masking. 7. VenturePal ⭐️ 1.5 / 5 When I purchased this product, it was marketed as Chinese matcha, and the back of the tin clearly states “Made in China” (photo included). The listing has since been updated to claim the matcha is from Uji, which is a serious and confusing inconsistency regarding origin. The product page also claims this matcha is “recommended by physicians,” yet no names, credentials, or evidence are provided. This appears to be an unsupported marketing claim and should be viewed critically. Anyway, VenturePal had better color and slightly improved frothing compared to the two below it, but bitterness and astringency were still high. The texture remained coarse, and overall balance was lacking. 6. MatchAiA – Ceremonial Grade ⭐️ 2 / 5 The color was a few shades better than the lower-ranked products, and bitterness was reduced, but the powder was still grainy and strongly grassy with noticeable astringency. This seems to be a white-label product from the same source as Emerail, but at a lower quality tier. 5. CHAYEAH ⭐️ 2.5 / 5 This was a noticeable step up. The color improved, and it finally smelled like actual matcha. However, grassy green tea notes still dominated the flavor. I could see this being enjoyable for beginners or those who prefer sweeteners, but the marketing claims about usucha or koicha seem unrealistic at this quality level. 4. Chaism – Ceremonial Grade (Black Tin Single Origin) ⭐️ 2.5 / 5 Chaism had promising color and excellent frothing. The first few sips were acceptable, but the aftertaste became muddy and unpleasant for me. This may come down to personal preference, but despite its better appearance, the finish was not enjoyable. 3. Chaism Premium Harvest (Silver Tin) ⭐️ 3 / 5 This was an improvement over the Single Origin version, with better balance, less bitterness, and a more approachable flavor overall. It remained grassy but was less aggressive, making it workable for daily lattes with moderate sweetener. 2. Emerail Matcha ⭐️ 4 / 5 Emerail was one of the strongest performers in this comparison. The powder felt fresher, had a cleaner aroma, and exhibited lower bitterness and astringency. It whisked easily with water, creating a pleasant matcha experience.good microfoam. Still grassy, but better controlled and smoother than most competitors. It’s clear this brand keeps the better material for its own label. 1. Jiuyu Matcha ⭐️ 4 / 5 The best overall performer among the Chinese matcha I tested on Amazon. It had the best color, a strong and pleasant green-tea aroma, smoother texture, and lower bitterness. While slightly grassier than Emerail, it was less grainy and had a better overall mouthfeel. Final Thoughts I wouldn't use any of these matchas for my daily latte. That said, this doesn’t mean they won’t work for others. These matchas can be suitable if: 1- You’re new to matcha 2- You primarily drink matcha lattes with syrups 3- And you want an affordable daily option Lastly, I wanted to mention that I’ve had excellent Chinese matcha outside of Amazon, including some I would happily drink daily and even use for usucha. Based on this comparison, those higher-end options simply aren’t what’s commonly available on Amazon right just as is the case for well-known Japanese-owned brands. This review reflects my personal palate and preparation style, and I hope it helps others choose a product that best fits how they enjoy matcha.