More about Matcha Hekisui:

This singular matcha is further set apart from other matchas in its single-source origin and the varietals used to produce it.

After processing, our matcha remains unblended. It is a true ceremonial-grade matcha, which means it is completely hand-harvested in Japan and it is not blended with any filler teas. By contrast, most matcha in the US and world markets is food-grade, which means it may be machine-harvested, ground quickly and blended with cheap filler teas from China. The result is a tea lacking the vivid green color, sumptuous umami mouth-feel and remarkable mental and physical effects of our ceremonial-grade Hekisui Matcha.

The Goko varietal of tea plant used to produce this particular matcha is prized for its exceptionally high levels of L-theanine, which is purported to increase focus, calm and clarity. Some say it induces a psychoactive high, and profound mental, physical and spiritual effects. Hukisui Matcha's effects are said to include elation, euphoria, heightened perception, spiritual connectivity, emotional attunement and focused calm. These components of the matcha experience last far beyond matcha's aftertaste ~ typically three hours or more with a gradual let down.

Traditionally, Zen Buddhist and Taoist monks traditionally consumed matcha before meditation to induce a state of focused calm akin to the Zen mind, and matcha remains an important component of Japanese culture today. Institutions such as Urasenke Chanoyu are working to spread chado, or the way of tea, around the world.

Chanoyu school teachings often focus on a sense of communion between the matcha preparer and consumer, the imperfect beauty of transience and the expressive potential of ritualized action. Several Samovar employees have studied at the San Francisco chapter of The Urasenke Foundation and Samovar Ambassador Lindsey has interviewed tea master Sen So Oku about his work incorporating tea into modern life through modern teaism in Japan.