It seems like everywhere you look these days - whether it’s your favorite café, an Instagram wellness post, or the organic aisle at the grocery store - someone or the other is raving about ceremonial grade matcha - whether or not they know what it means. From vibrant green lattes to antioxidant-packed skincare, matcha has become a modern-day elixir. But there’s a particular buzz around the term ceremonial grade matcha, and while some might chalk it up to clever marketing, there’s actually a lot more going on beneath that powdered surface.
Ceremonial Matcha: Not Just a Buzzword
First things first: yes, the phrase ceremonial grade matcha is more commonly used in the West. Traditional Japanese tea culture doesn’t label its matcha with categorical names like “ceremonial” or “culinary” the way many Western companies do. The reason for this though, is that the Japanese use words to label each unique matcha that are very telling of its harvest/cultivar/origin and thus quality.
Let's start at the beginning. Matcha is a powdered green tea made from shade-grown leaves and has been an integral part of Japanese tea ceremonies (chanoyu) for centuries. The matcha used in these formal, often meditative rituals was (and still is) of the highest quality. It was meant to be whisked into a delicate bowl of tea, typically consumed without sweeteners or milk. That tradition is where the term ceremonial matcha draws its meaning, because matcha was traditionally consumed only on ceremonious occasions.
So while the terminology may be modern and Western, it reflects a very real lineage of respect for quality and purity in tea and is a way to generalize and categorize matcha of quality high enough to be consumed as Koicha or Usucha.
Not All Matcha Is Created Equal
Here’s where things get interesting. The matcha you find in lattes, baked goods, or even ice cream might not be what you want to sip on its own. That’s because lower-grade matcha - often labeled culinary grade - is made from from mature leaves, usually harvested later in the season or year, and tends be more bitter or astringent. It works well when blended with sugar, milk, or other flavors so that the matcha can still be tasted despite being overshadowed by other ingredients, but on it's own it would lean towards an unpleasant level of bitterness.
Ceremonial grade matcha, on the other hand, should be made from the youngest, most tender leaves at the top of the tea plant. These leaves are carefully shade-grown for 3 weeks prior to harvest, which increases their chlorophyll content (hello, vibrant green color) and helps produce a sweet, umami-rich flavor. After harvesting, the leaves are steamed, dried, and stone-ground into an ultra-fine powder. The result? A tea that’s smooth, bright, and naturally sweet enough to drink plain.
And that’s the key: ceremonial matcha should taste good on its own.
Usucha and Why It Matters
One of the reasons people care about the quality of matcha so much has to do with how it’s traditionally consumed. In tea ceremonies, the two main styles of preparation are usucha (thin tea) and koicha (thick tea). Ceremonial grade matcha is primarily associated with usucha - a light, frothy tea made by whisking matcha with hot water until it forms a smooth, almost creamy foam. The highest, top-most 'Ceremonial Grades" are delightful even as Koicha.
For usucha or Koicha to taste good, the matcha itself has to be excellent. There’s nothing to hide behind—no sugar, no oat milk, no vanilla syrup. Just water (heated to optimal temperature between 55-80 degrees) and powdered tea. If the matcha is bitter or dull, you’ll notice immediately. That’s why ceremonial grade matcha is so prized by those who want to experience matcha the way it’s traditionally meant to be enjoyed - straight-up and unadulterated.
Beyond the Ceremony: The Modern Allure
So why all the hype now?
Matcha checks a lot of modern wellness boxes. It’s packed with antioxidants (especially a type called catechins), it's known for providing a more “zen” caffeine boost thanks to L-theanine (an amino acid that promotes calm alertness), and it fits into almost every lifestyle trend - from mindfulness to clean eating. The higher the quality of the matcha, the higher the nutrient and flavonoid levels are too, because they're concentrated in a smaller surface area.
Ceremonial grade matcha, in particular, speaks to the current obsession with authenticity. People want to know that what they’re consuming is high quality, ethically sourced, and ideally, connected to some deeper tradition or philosophy. When someone buys ceremonial grade matcha, they’re not just buying tea—they’re buying into a ritual, a history, and a sensory experience.
Of course, as with any trend, there’s a bit of fluff out there. Some brands slap the word “ceremonial” on anything green and powdered, regardless of its actual quality, because sadly there is no regulatory body that certifies whether or not the exported matcha falls within a certain Western category or not. For this very reason, we aim to educate our consumers to be able to discern and differentiate for themselves. The best outcome of this trend is probably the heightened awareness towards quality and personal preferences.
How to Identify the Good Stuff
If you’re curious to try ceremonial matcha yourself, here are a few things to look for:
- Color: It should be vibrant, almost electric (blue) green. Dull or yellowish matcha usually means lower quality.
- Texture: Finely milled matcha feels silky to the touch and is like a finely pigmented eye-shadow. The 'grainier' the matcha is to touch, the larger the grind size is, and the less smooth and velvety the texture will be.
- Smell: Fresh matcha has a grassy, slightly sweet, white-chocolatey aroma. If it smells bitter or stale, it probably is.
- Taste: Ceremonial grade matcha should be rounded, have umami, and a sweet finish. There should be no harsh or overpowering bitterness.
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Harvest: buy matcha that has been made with first harvest tencha, ensuring the best flavor.
- Source: Simply buying matcha labelled 'Made in Japan' isn't good enough. Even matcha grown in the Uji region has different qualities and tastes, and can differ greatly from brand to brand.
- Ingredients: Whatever matcha you buy, it should always be labelled as '100% matcha' or similar, There should be no added powders, sweeteners, or preservatives, which will greatly affect the quality of the matcha.
So yes, although “ceremonial grade matcha” may be a Western term and while it may not be fully and properly understood, it’s not just marketing fluff. It’s shorthand for a tea that lives up to a tradition of care, craftsmanship, and mindful enjoyment. Whether you’re bowing in a tatami-lined tearoom or just whisking up a quiet cup at your kitchen table, that little green bowl carries centuries of history in every sip.
And that? That’s worth the hype.
