Naoki Matcha Organic Ceremonial First Spring Blend – Authentic Japanese First Harvest Ceremonial Grade Matcha Green Tea Powder from Kagoshima, Japan (100g / 3.5oz)

Naoki Matcha Organic Ceremonial First Spring blend has pleasantly surprised me and I would definitely recommend this product. The vibrancy of the powder along with the fragrant notes of sweet nuttiness and umami is hard to miss upon opening the bag! The price point of $40 is very decent and affordable in this era of finding a matcha worth your buck. This matcha blends incredibly extremely well, with no graininess and comes out extremely smooth. The usucha is not very creamy by itself, but still very smooth. I cannot verify whether this blend is true to being ceremonial or organic, however after ordering from a couple brands off amazon, it’s safe for me to say this is a great matcha at an affordable price point. Price Point: For one serving, or latte I use 4g/2tsp matcha and 120g of Planet Oat Barista Lovers Oatmilk. I make a 12oz Iced Matcha Latte for $1.90, if you’re trying to avoid spending $8+, Naoki is your bag!

I seriously can’t recommend this enough! I’ve been getting into making my own matcha, and out of the variety of brands and grades I’ve tried, this one stands out as the definitive best. I like my matcha strong, and this was a clear winner for that category, having a smooth and bold flavor - not to mention a wonderfully fresh aroma - that meant I could use less powder for a higher quality drink. This also meant I was able to make the bag last longer since I was needing less powder for each drink. This brand as a whole is also one of the most well ground producers I found, making the process of sifting it into the mixing bowl purely for tradition and aesthetic. Each serving is stated to have about 67 grams of caffeine, which is the most I’ve found out of any brands products, so if you’re sensitive to caffeine, be warned and consider using the organic ceremonial blend from Naoki (dark blue packaging, a definitive close contender to this). All in all, this is THE product I will be buying and recommending to any and all matcha enjoyers!

This was my first time trying Naoki Matcha and I was amazed at how green the powder was when I opened the bag. Other matcha powders that I've tried have been less vibrant in their coloring, some almost bordering on a greenish brown. So right off the bat I'm thinking Naoki is a bit fresher than the other powders. I also like that they include some kind of silica packet in the powder to keep the moisture from affecting it. Most other matchas I've purchased haven't included that. The powder is super fine and easily blended into my morning smoothie. My only gripe is the price on Amazon is way more than the price on Naoki's website - $43 on Amazon vs $25 on Naoki at the time that I purchased.

Some people might say that this matcha was bitter, but that is because they're not preparing it correctly. I COLD WHISK this matcha with cold 2% milk and about 4g of matcha. Whisk well until it's all smooth. Then pour over sweetened milk and ice. If you whisk this matcha with boiling water, it will taste bitter. I also use 160F water sometimes, but the taste isn't as sweet as if you whisked it. Very good price for the amount you get. I've been buying this matcha for 3 yrs.

Great affordable matcha and I’m a matcha snob. It’s not going to be as good as the more expensive ceremonial matcha powders however, I find it to be an acceptable substitute that’s more affordable. I also appreciate that it’s organic. It doesn’t go fishy or bitter like a lot of cheaper matcha powders. It’s a nice balanced blend