Some people say life is a collection of “firsts”. First word, first step, first love, etc.

I still remember my first sip of koicha. The hypnotic clinking of water boiling in the cast iron kettle, the smell of grass from the fresh tatami in the wabi sabi tearoom. This is a place untouched by time. Bringing the chawan to my lips, I was expecting bitterness. Afterall, the thick, honey like consistency of the matcha before me is significantly thicker than what I am used to. And then the moment.

Many customers come to us requesting for the “strongest” or most bitter matcha, thinking that that equates to superior quality. This is one of the most common misperception about the beloved emerald green powder.

Given that the history of matcha in the contemporary beverage scene is relatively new compared to coffee (which have since experience the third or fourth “wave”), the knowledge for it is also more shallow. Most self-professed coffee lovers would be familiar with taste profiles like such as acidity and clarity, or how the roast and terrior drastically affects the taste of the coffee. In contrast, few tea lovers have experienced the rich, umami sweetness that good quality matcha offers.

We seek to change that sip by sip, and be the kindling for the “third wave” of matcha and tea as a whole.