What single cultivar means on a tin of matcha
The phrase names the variety of tea plant in the powder and very little else. Here is what it can tell you, what it leaves out, and why most matcha is blended anyway.
Why matcha is grown in the shade
Covering tea plants for the last few weeks before picking changes the color and the taste of the leaf. The reason comes down to what sunlight does to one amino acid.
How to store a tin once it is open
Ippodo says opened matcha does not spoil, but it does fade. Keep it sealed, dark and cool, away from strong smells, and plan to finish it in about a month.