Kettl Shirakawa Asahi review

Overview

Kettl has been pushing single-origin matcha into the US market for a few years. This is one of their more interesting picks at the $4 to $5 per gram range. Same cultivar and growing area as Tokichi's premium Hatsu-Mukashi, just sourced and priced differently.

Flavor

The Kettl team's notes are surprisingly accurate. There's a meringue-like creamy sweetness, vegetal that reads as cooked greens, and a faint root-vegetable bite from the radish character. Umami is full, bitterness absent.

Verdict

Holds up either way. Koicha gives you the depth; usucha lets the radish and meringue notes come through more clearly. If you want to taste what Shirakawa Asahi does without paying competition-tier prices, this is where to start.