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This tea is certified organic.
MATCHA QIANDAO is our project matcha. Like with our other project teas, we sought to test the pliability of tea-making traditions and support a new cohort of young producers defying old norms. We pursue these teas at the head of a new American tea culture that prioritizes objectivity over pedigree—sometimes at greater expense than we would have paid for the genuine article. After successful project productions of maofeng and dongfang meiren, this lot is a test of objective quality markers. What better way to evolve our understanding of what constitutes real tea?
[Not sold? Touch here for Japanese matcha.]
The matcha begins deep in the mountains of China’s Chun’an county, in rural Zhejiang province. Situated here is Feng Shu Ling farm, a joint venture between Japanese investors and Chinese farmers. Production master (and trusted partner) Wei Xie oversees the operation. We interface yearly to ensure it meets our rigorous criteria for sustainability, fair labor, and organics. Wei prioritizes purity and cleanliness in production; the whole leaf is consumed when drinking matcha, making every kind of "-cide" that much less desirable. Each batch is tested by independent labs, ensuring the land, the workers, and the tea from this hyper-unique farming project are utterly clean.
Produced from a cultivar hybrid of Yabukita (the gold standard in matcha production) and Zhong Cha #102 (an experimental cultivar optimized for the terroir). Shaded for 21 days and stone-milled per traditional production methods, QIANDAO is nothing if not matcha. Smooth, subtle astringency, and with the delicate sweetness of fresh white rice. Ideal in lattes.
Scroll to the bottom to hear producer Wei's take on this project.
notes — white rice | cabbage | clean
nomenclature — Qiandao (千岛)—"Thousand Islands"
style — shaded 21 days & stone-milled
cultivar — yabukita and zhong cha #102
region — Feng Shu Ling, Qiandao, China
locale — Qiandao Matcha Project
producer —Wei Xei
vintage — spring '20
usucha – thin tea
2 grams | 3.4 oz (100 ml) | 164ºF (73ºC) | whisk to froth
iced latte (12 oz)
2.5 grams | 1.3 oz (40 ml) | 164ºF (73ºC)
whisk to espresso consistency, pour over ice (100 g) with milk (200 ml)
hot latte (12 oz)
2.5 grams | 1.3 oz (40 ml) | 164ºF (73ºC)
whisk to espresso consistency, top with steamed milk (300 ml)
