Shinmatcha from different brands - 2024
We offer five different Shinmatcha (special matcha made from the very first harvest of the year) from four different brands, and you might ask: How can I choose?
We will now present these teas and their brands, pointing out the main differences to help make your choice easier.
Representing their Brands
The four Brands and their Shincha:
Hekisuien:
Shincha Matcha
Horii Shichimeien:
Shin Matcha Kunpu no Shiro, Shin Matcha Kunpu no Mukashi
Marukyu Koyamaen:
Hatsu Enishi Shin Matcha
Yamamasa Koyamaen:
Shin Matcha Wakaba
Each brand has its own characteristic flavor palette, and these teas are great representatives of that; they all fit perfectly in their portfolios.
Hekisuien
Horii Shichimeien has extremely refined teas with great depth of flavor and blends perfected to show the unique characteristics of the leaves. They have made two Shinmatcha blends, one especially for koicha, the other one for usucha. They both perfectly bring the sweetness and nuanced flavors so peculiar to Horii Shichimeien.
Marukyu Koyamaen is the best-known brand, and reasonably so; it is reliable, consistent and always brings the expected quality and delicious flavors. Their full-bodied, flavorful, rich matcha teas don’t disappoint, no matter if we are experienced matcha drinkers or if we are only starting on our tea journey. Either way, Marukyu Koyamaen’s Shinmatcha is definitely worth a try, bringing to the table everything you would expect from the brand.
Yamamasa Koyamaen teas are, in general, more on the astringent side and they need special care and expertise to bring out the wonderfully fresh and flavorful taste, full of umami and marvelous details. Once someone braves the challenge and finds the best way to prepare, their teas bring an entirely different, unique experience to one’s tea time, making the effort very well worth it.
Taste profiles
Shincha Matcha by Hekisuien
Shin Matcha Kunpu no Shiro by Horii Shichimeien
A fresh, green Usucha with a particularly exciting taste, gentle bitter undertone, and rich flavor. It is worth experimenting with this tea since when brewed at 70 degrees, its boldness and creaminess can be significantly increased. It is advisable not to make this tea too thin because then its flavor would be dampened, and only the bitter tones would dominate the taste.
Shin Matcha Kunpu no Mukashi by Horii Shichimeien
Horii Shichimeien’s high-grade Shin matcha, especially made only for koicha. It has an exceptional flavor, very sweet, full of umami, and blended perfectly to reach a taste with no astringency at all. It is an extra gourmet version of Kunpu no Shiro, with no bitter undertones. It is sweet, silky, and creamy, impressively round-bodied, and having a deep tone with a long aftertaste.
Hatsu Enishi Shin Matcha Gold by Marukyu Koyamaen
A mellow, light, creamy-textured matcha with an amazingly fresh, bright fragrance and an incredibly long, full-bodied and creamy finish with tender, green flavors. This tea can be prepared with slightly lower temperature water (70 ºC), resulting in a sweeter and creamier flavor. It can also be consumed as koicha, resulting in a more full-bodied tea with a more intense flavor and an even longer aftertaste.
Shin Matcha by Yamamasa Koyamaen
Matcha variant with a surprising, unique fragrance and character. The Shin matcha blend of Yamamasa is not striving for brilliance, it presents a much more rustic, raw experience. It can bring a smile to our faces to find the peculiar, humorous character so unique to the Yamamasa concept.
For those who have access to real spring water, we recommend using it with this tea, as it brings out the smooth, harmonic flavors.
We encourage all tea enthusiasts to try these special matcha blends! They open a wonderful window into the skill and professionalism of the factories, showing how even above the delightful flavors in their basic portfolio they are able to showcase creativity and playful passion in reflecting the changes of nature by creating these seasonal blends.
Don't miss our other Seasonal teas either! Check out what other tea seasons there are, and what they bring to the table in our Seasonal Matcha Schedule.
