Matcharl Kyoto Uji Matcha Powder – Japanese First Harvest Green Tea, Stone-Ground, Ceremonial Grade (40g), Gold

First opening the pouch I noticed the color was a slightly darker shade of lovely matcha green, scent was hardly noticeable. Mixing produced a nice foam and it blended very well First taste immediately after making was very very mild, scent still very mild HOWEVER after it sat a min or 2, I swirled my ice and took my second sip and it had entirely changed. The flavor notes became more pronounced giving it a grassy, slightly bitter and refreshing flavor, all in a very good way (but still little to no scent). But I still would not consider this a very bold flavored matcha, more moderate (4.5 out of 10 on a boldness scale). This is actually a flavor profile I am often in the mood for so I anticipate enjoying this entire tin Beginner or long time matcha drinkers could all enjoy this

Matcha has been all the craze, and as a newbie I had no idea there was so much information online regarding matcha powders. I know it’s apart of Japanese culture, so there’s a lot of history and tradition surrounding it, but on apps like Tik Tok it’s become so popular that it’s created its own separate massive community. I knew it was trendy, but not THAT trendy. Honestly, all I wanted was a matcha latte and I thought making it at home would be simple…but no…I had to use my college level research skills to figure out what powder to even get. It seems like 95% of the matcha powders are sold out because of their popularity, and so it was really hard trying to find recommended powders without spending a lot of money, waiting for long shipping, or stalking websites for restocks…which I really didn’t want to deal with. So, to all of you reading this who are in the same boat, this is a great matcha powder. Buy it!! I made my first drink and absolutely loved it. I can’t handle bitterness and experienced no bitterness with this powder, so if you hate bitter things you’ll love this! (Recommendation: whisk the matcha with cold/room temperature water or milk to make it less bitter! Also, using milk makes it super creamy and sweet tasting. I used oat milk!) There are some reviews saying it smells bad, but I think the powder smells insanely good. When it’s mixed in with a liquid it does smell more earthy, but it doesn’t translate to the taste at all. To me it smells sweet with a nice earthy/floral and nutty tone that isn’t too strong, but just right. The color is a very vibrant green which apparently means it’s higher quality. I had no issues with clumpiness when mixing the powder either. Overall, I’m super happy and super relieved. I was worried it would be bitter and I would not like it, but it’s absolutely delicious. I’m happy I found something that is actually in stock and a decent price for the size, while being super high quality and fairly perfect in all aspects. I can’t wait to experiment with it more!! Also stop overthinking and just buy this matcha powder. If you don’t you’ll end up in a never ending matcha powder research loop like I did.

I compared these two Matcharl matchas side-by-side with my all-time favorite: Ippodo Sayaka ($50 for 40g). For consistency, I prepared all three as mini iced lattes using 1 oz water, 1 scoop of small ice, 1 tsp matcha powder, 2 oz oat milk, and 1 tbsp simple syrup. My husband and I also did a blind taste test to rank them. 🤔Matcharl Taro Blend – 6/10 Price: $20 (40g) -Color: Nice green with a slight yellow tint. -Flavor: This was our least favorite. The matcha flavor is extremely light, almost muted. -Bitterness/Astringency: Medium bitterness but the most astringent of the three. -Notes: Slightest fishy/seaweed aftertaste. Not terrible, but not a matcha we'd reach for again, just overall lacked flavor and sweetness. ✨Matcharl Gold Blend – 8/10 Price: $30 (40g) -Color: Nearly identical to the Taro Blend—green with a faint yellow tint. -Flavor: Noticeably richer and sweeter than the Taro Blend. Has a deeper matcha flavor with far less bitterness and astringency. -Notes: Little to no seaweed/fishy taste. -Comparison: Closer to Ippodo Sayaka (but not a dupe). Side-by-side you can tell Sayaka is still superior, but the Gold Blend is a big step up from Taro. 🏆 Final Thoughts Ippodo Sayaka remains our top favorite: most vibrant green color, most balanced flavor, and still the best overall matcha we've tried. However, for $20 less, the Matcharl Gold Blend is a solid, high-quality matcha for lattes. We both agreed (even blindly) that it’s absolutely worth repurchasing. If you're deciding between the two Matcharl options, I strongly recommend spending a little extra for the Gold Blend, you’ll enjoy it much more than the Taro Blend.

This is the first matcha I have bought from Amazon. I usually buy straight from other authentic matcha makers’ websites. I used it for my morning matcha tea ceremony. This particular matcha has a very deep rich flavor and color. It’s bright green and smells sweet upon opening. Also, it’s not too foamy when prepared. You can definitely taste the umami notes when drinking it Usucha. It’s smooth with very little to no astringency. I’d classify this as a higher middle tier matcha. The only request I would ask the maker of this matcha to do is to add more information about themselves, their tea master, and how this particular matcha blend should be prepared. For example, which temperature of water would do best with this blend. (I prepared it at 160 degrees Fahrenheit) Other than that, I really enjoyed it and would purchase again.

The gold one is a decent beginner matcha, it’s not the best for beginners since it’s not really that sweet or floral, it’s slightly bitter and has a kinda of powdery texture to it even after sifting. The color is not as bright green in the tin, but once made it’s a deep green. I put the Marukyu Koyamaen Izusu next to it for color comparison and it’s a better matcha than this Amazon one. If you are a seasoned matcha drinker you will not really like this one. I’ve tried Ippido, matchaful, Marukyu Koyamaen and premium maiko matcha- these are all superior to this one. It’s a good backup “everyday” type of matcha for when you run out or don’t want to use your nicer matcha. Edit: I bought the taro blend and this one is way better than the gold, if you are indecisive about them get the taro blend! The taro blend is sweeter and not that strong of a taste if you’re new to matcha. They both make a dark green color in lattes but the taro blend has a better balance to it and it’s smoother to drink!