Your little moment of peace and quiet before a busy day. Mellow and creamy. A calm matcha for thinking in silence. My best friend, the chill nonchalant kid. Strong green tea notes, mild umami (savouriness) with flashes of astringency (dry-sour). The Emperor. Awlays cool, always collected. 

How it tastes:

Honest confession. Emperor is my first matcha love. So be warned, it could be your new obsession too.

To be admired thoughtfully — The emperor is an outstanding ceremonial matcha of single origin and first harvest. More than pleasant, it's a simple joy to drink.

It's a matcha that invites you to appreciate nuance. The flavours aren't complex, put it mildly, and not to take anything away — it is subtle and mellow.

He's not bold nor overwhelming. More a classic matcha with strong Japanese green tea notes. The Emperor is medium bodied; the mild umami flavours and vegetal notes linger on. His the nonchalant friend you had in high school, always cool, always calm.

You can taste the dedication in The Emperor, the hand-picked, carefully selected Gokou tea leaves sets you up to taste the savouriness (umami), while hints of astringency (dry, sour notes) ghost around your tongue.

With a deep noble aroma and dried floral notes, the colour is a bright gorgeous green of steamed asparagus.

Best way to enjoy: 

Mellow and easy to drink. A clear beginner friendly choice for pure matcha enthusiasts.

I find myself reaching for the Emperor when reading, going on walks and journaling. Again, the deep dark green when brewed is guaranteed to be impressive as any other ceremonial matcha you have tried.

How about matcha lattes I hear you wondering? It works when ratios are balanced well.

The Emperor is creamy on its own but doesn't try too hard to be bold. In big lattes he's soft, mellow and honestly a tad "watery" like the matcha lattes in cafes. Easily overshadowed by stronger, richer milks.

So with lattes, do yourself a favour by using low-fat dairy or plant milks — more matcha and less milk ratio would be ideal. 

But hold on, in a tall-long cold brew it's one of the nicest way to enjoy the calming and replenishing qualities of this matcha. More than that. As a Koicha (thick paste) drizzled over mango ice cream, it is sublime, takes you back to your cozy grandma's kitchen when you were 7. Pure nostalgia.

I like it as a matcha for contemplation and quiet. A calm dopamine hit.

Origin: 100% Japanese Green Tea — Goukou Cultivar 

Late May, 1st Harvest. Wazuka, Japan. Single origin.