Single-cultivar Matcha from Nagasaki, Japan

iki Iri-Matcha 02 Cha You is made from the modern cultivar Kirari 31 and processed using a special Iri-Mushi (roast-steam) method. The result is a gentle, well-balanced matcha where soft sweetness and umami meet a subtle roasted note from the Iri-Mushi processing. The roast character stays light and supportive, never overpowering the clarity of the base tea.

The ChaYou tea garden, run by the Matsuo family, sits on a small hill about 300 metres above sea level with a view over Omura Bay in Nagasaki. In this mild coastal climate, surrounded by rich vegetation, the family has been growing and processing tea since 1970.

Owner Masatoshi Matsuo works with a clear respect for tradition – organic fertilisation of the fields and classic wara-kake straw-shade for the tea bushes – while also exploring new ideas in processing. Over the past years ChaYou has attracted a lot of attention among Japanese tea drinkers and has received several awards, including the Emperor’s Cup in 2010.

Origin: Sonogi, Nagasaki, Japan

Cultivar: Kirari31

Shading: 21 days with direct shading

Harvest: May 2025, machine-harvested

Stone-Milled: September 2025 (refrigerated since then)

Taste: Nutty, Chestnuts, Creamy without astringency