Matcha Qiandao | Ceremonial - 60g

This tea is certified organic.

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, we now test true quality markers with none other than matcha—the pinnacle of a tea culture that puts "authenticity" before all else. What better way to evolve our understanding of what constitutes real tea?
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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. Scroll to the bottom to hear Wei's take on this project.

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.

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