Get to Know Encha's Matcha Grades
All three of our matcha grades are ground from tea leaves grown on our organic farm in Uji, Japan. We never add sugar to our matcha powder, so you can expect pure, rich matcha flavor, no matter how you choose to enjoy your tea. Â
Ceremonial-Grade Encha is ground from premium, first-harvest leaves, which are the most tender, plucked each spring from our farm in Uji, Japan. It’s best suited for the ceremonial style of drinking matcha, with water only. The taste is smooth, full-bodied, delicately grassy, and never bitter.
Latte-Grade Encha is ground from standard, high-quality, first-harvest leaves. When prepared just with hot water, latte-grade matcha can have a strong, slightly bitter taste. That extra strength makes it perfectly suited for pairing with milk or a milk substitute. Our premium, first harvest leaves offer a greener hue and a smoother latte, compared with matcha made with second- or third-harvest leaves and a perfect flavor profile for matcha lattes.
Culinary-Grade Encha is ground from premium, second-harvest leaves, plucked from our organic matcha farm.  Culinary-Grade matcha offers a balanced palate, both vegetal and earthy, with a sweet, nutty finish. It’s perfect for cooking, baking, or adding to smoothies.Â
For personalized recommendation, please email us:Â encha@encha.com

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Grade naming is subjective to each matcha brand. Here are 4 other factors to consider when choosing your matcha.
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What makes Encha Matcha different?
At Encha, we pride ourselves in being completely transparent about our products and how they are made before they end up in your home or workplace. Our matcha powders are certified organic, and we never use pesticides or synthetics, just as it should be. Our growing and grinding processes are deeply rooted in ancient Japanese tradition, and that can be tasted and observed in our high quality matcha green tea powder.Â
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Don't just take our word for it. See what bloggers and other experts have to say about Encha Matcha.
Encha Matcha Guide
Purist
 Latte Lovers and Stronger-Tea Lovers
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Notes:
- Dairy milk contains a type of protein called casein. Some studies found casein might lower the absorption of the antioxidant catechins in matcha, by about 20%. So we don't recommend dairy milk as the preferred choice. Plant-based vegan milk such as oat or almond milk is the best.
- You can use any grade of matcha for baking and dessert. See beautiful matcha recipes by Sarah of Snixy Kitchen who uses Latte-grade Encha.Â