Best Matcha Grades Explained: How to Choose the Right Matcha
By Kiyomi Koike, Founder and ITMA Certified Tea Master · Updated October 2026
What is the best matcha? I am asked this more than any other question, usually by someone standing in front of a shelf of green tins that all say "ceremonial". The honest answer is that "best" is not a grade you can buy; it is a short list of things you can check. The best matcha is made from the youngest leaves of the first harvest, shaded for weeks before picking, ground slowly on a stone mill, and tested by a laboratory whose results you can read. On this page I explain the three grades you will see sold, ceremonial, everyday and culinary, and the six checks I use when I judge any matcha, including our own.
One thing to know before we start: there is no official grading body for matcha, in Japan or anywhere else. "Ceremonial" and "culinary" are the seller's words, not a certification, which is why two tins with the same word on the label can taste so different. That is also why I judge the leaf rather than the label.
| Ceremonial | Youngest first-harvest leaves, shaded three to four weeks, stone-milled; vivid green, sweet umami; made to be whisked with water |
| Everyday | Later leaves, shorter shading; yellow-green, more astringent; sold for lattes and blended drinks (some sellers call it premium or latte grade) |
| Culinary | Mature leaves, little or no shading, usually machine-milled; duller color, bitter; for baking and cooking where other flavors lead |
| What we sell | One grade only: Organic Matcha, Ceremonial Grade A, first harvest, shade-grown, stone-milled, certified organic, grown in Japan |
| Per 1.5 g serving | About 41 mg caffeine, about 122 mg EGCG, about 28 mg L-theanine (our batch testing and certificate of analysis) |
| Six checks | Leaf and harvest, shading, grind, color, taste, published lab tests |
| Less caffeine | Our Organic Decaf Matcha is the same leaf with the caffeine removed, about 6 mg a serving |
Matcha grades explained: ceremonial, everyday and culinary
All matcha begins as tencha, a green tea grown under shade and dried without rolling, then ground to powder. The grade comes down to which leaves were picked, how long the plants were shaded, and how the leaf was milled. Here is what each grade usually means, with the caution that the words are not regulated.
Ceremonial grade matcha
| Leaf and harvest | The youngest, most tender leaves of the first harvest of the year, picked in spring |
|---|---|
| Shading | About three to four weeks under shade before picking, which raises chlorophyll and L-theanine |
| Grind | Ground slowly on a stone mill to a very fine, silky powder that tends to clump |
| Color and taste | Vivid green; sweet, full umami with little bitterness |
| Best for | Whisked with water, and for a latte when you want the tea to lead the milk |
| Price | Highest: hand-picking and slow milling |
Everyday grade matcha
| Leaf and harvest | Later leaves, often from the second harvest in summer |
|---|---|
| Shading | Shorter than ceremonial |
| Grind | Fine, by stone or machine, with slightly larger particles |
| Color and taste | Yellow-green; moderate umami with noticeable astringency |
| Best for | Lattes, smoothies and blended drinks, where milk and sweetener soften the edges |
| Price | Middle: higher yield and less handwork |
Culinary grade matcha
| Leaf and harvest | Mature leaves from later harvests |
|---|---|
| Shading | Little or none |
| Grind | Usually machine-milled from tougher leaves; coarser |
| Color and taste | Duller green; bitter and astringent |
| Best for | Baking, cooking and recipes where matcha is a supporting flavor |
| Price | Lowest |
For a closer look at how the taste changes from one grade to the next, see what matcha tastes like.
What makes the best matcha: the six things I check
I grew up in Japan drinking tea every day, and I have spent more than twenty years choosing tea for our family's company. When I judge a matcha, ours included, I look at the same six things every time. None of them require a trained palate; most of them you can check before you buy.
- Leaf and harvest. The first harvest of the year gives the youngest leaves, with the most L-theanine and the least bitterness. A seller who knows the harvest will say so. If the label says nothing about harvest, assume it is not the first.
- Shading. Covering the plants for several weeks before picking is what separates matcha from ordinary green tea powder. The plant responds to the shade by making more chlorophyll and more L-theanine, which is where the color and the sweetness come from. Longer shading also raises caffeine, which is why a good ceremonial matcha carries more caffeine than a culinary one.
- Grind. Stone-milled matcha has rounder, finer particles and a creamy mouthfeel. It also clumps, because those fine particles stick together; a powder that never clumps may not have been stone-ground. A whisk or a frother breaks the clumps in seconds.
- Color. Fresh, well-shaded matcha is a vivid green. A yellow or brownish powder was either shaded less, picked later, or has oxidized in the tin.
- Taste. Whisked with water alone, the best matcha is sweet and savory with a long, smooth finish. Bitterness that makes you reach for sugar is the leaf telling you its grade.
- Published lab tests. Organic certification covers how the tea was farmed; it does not test the finished powder for heavy metals or pesticide residue. Our teas are screened by an independent laboratory for heavy metals, pesticides and radiation, and we publish the certificates on our lab results and testing page. If a seller cannot show you a certificate of analysis, that tells you something.
Why we sell one grade, and what Grade A means
We make one matcha: Organic Matcha, Ceremonial Grade A. Grade A is our label for the top of the ceremonial range: only the youngest, most delicate leaves of the first harvest, shade-grown in Japan, certified organic, and ground on a traditional stone mill. We do not sell an everyday or a culinary grade, and I am often asked why. The answer is that matcha is the one tea where you drink the whole leaf. If you are going to drink the whole leaf, I would rather it be the best leaf, whether it goes into a bowl of tea or a latte.
The numbers tell the same story. Our batch testing and certificate of analysis show about 41 mg of caffeine, about 122 mg of EGCG and about 28 mg of L-theanine in a 1.5 g serving. Those figures, and the lab screens behind them, are on our testing page; the fuller story of what shading and L-theanine do is on what matcha is and how it is made, and the research on its benefits is on the health benefits of matcha.
Shop Organic Matcha, Ceremonial Grade A
Which matcha is best for you?
- For drinking with water: a ceremonial grade, whisked in 6–12 oz of water at 145°F (63°C) or below. One stick or ¾ teaspoon (1.5 g) is our serving; adjust to your taste. Step-by-step instructions are on how to prepare Yu Tea.
- For lattes: many brands steer you to an everyday grade and let the milk cover its astringency. We use our ceremonial, about 2 g so the tea stands up to the milk; our matcha latte recipe shows how.
- For baking and cooking: a culinary grade is the usual economical choice, since heat and other ingredients hide the subtleties you pay for in a ceremonial. Our recipes use our own ceremonial matcha and sencha powder.
- For less caffeine: our Organic Decaf Matcha is the same first-harvest leaf, decaffeinated with water and CO₂ before milling, at about 6 mg of caffeine a serving; Decaf Sencha powder is the lowest we make at about 4 mg. I explain how decaf matcha is made on does decaf matcha exist? and the figures for every tea we make on how much caffeine is in green tea.
- For a daily whole-leaf tea at a lower price: Organic Sencha powder is a different leaf, grown in full sun rather than shade, with a brighter, grassier taste; matcha vs sencha explains the difference.
How to spot a matcha that is not what the label says
A few warning signs I see often: a "ceremonial" matcha with a yellow tint; no harvest or origin on the label; a price far below what first-harvest, hand-picked, stone-milled leaf can cost; and no lab results anywhere on the seller's site. Any one of them is a reason to ask questions. I take the question further in is your matcha real?.
Matcha grades FAQ
What is the best matcha grade?
Ceremonial grade, made from the youngest first-harvest leaves, shaded for weeks and stone-milled. It is the only grade made to be whisked with water and tasted on its own. The word itself is not regulated, so check the harvest, color and lab results rather than trusting the label.
Is ceremonial grade matcha better than culinary grade?
For drinking, yes: it is sweeter, smoother and greener, with more L-theanine. For baking, a culinary grade is the usual choice because heat and other ingredients hide the qualities you pay for in a ceremonial.
What does Ceremonial Grade A mean?
Grade A is our label for the top of the ceremonial range: only the youngest, most delicate leaves of the first harvest, shade-grown in Japan, certified organic and stone-milled. Grades are a seller's label, so ask any brand what theirs means.
How can you tell good matcha from bad?
Look for a vivid green color, a sweet and savory taste when whisked with water alone, a fine powder that clumps a little, a stated harvest and origin, and published lab results for heavy metals and pesticides.
Does the best matcha have more caffeine?
Usually. Longer shading raises caffeine along with L-theanine, so a ceremonial matcha carries more caffeine than a culinary one. Our Organic Matcha tests at about 41 mg per 1.5 g serving; our Organic Decaf Matcha, the same leaf decaffeinated, tests at about 6 mg.
Is organic matcha better?
Organic certification covers how the tea was farmed, without synthetic pesticides or fertilizers. It does not test the powder for heavy metals, so the best matcha is organic and lab-tested. We publish certificates of analysis for ours.
Why does good matcha clump?
Stone-milled matcha has very fine, rounded particles that stick together. A powder that never clumps may not have been stone-ground. Whisk it or use a frother and the clumps disappear.
Is everyday grade a real matcha grade?
It is a name some sellers use for the grade between ceremonial and culinary; others say premium or latte grade. No grade name is regulated, so judge the leaf: harvest, shading, grind, color and taste.
What is the best matcha for lattes?
Many brands recommend an everyday grade and let the milk soften it. We use our ceremonial at about 2 g per latte so the tea leads; it costs more per cup and tastes like matcha rather than sweetened milk.
What is the best matcha for beginners?
A ceremonial grade whisked with a little more water than usual, or made as a latte. A bitter culinary grade is how many people decide they do not like matcha. Start with one stick or ¾ teaspoon in 8 to 12 oz of water and adjust.
