meli55
Member since April 2026
Just a matcha fan like yall! I prefer matchas that lean nutty so I'm currently a big Yame fan.
Ok I get the hype now
I had been writing off Ippodo since the big price increases recently but a friend gifted me Ummon for my birthday and oh wow. The umami is so much richer than what I'm used to from Yame, almost ocean-y? Different category entirely. I'm not switching teams but I will absolutely buy this again when I want to feel fancy. Lasted me about 3 weeks of usacha-only drinking.
Tasty, naturally sweet, slight bitterness
I got a tin of Kinrin as gift from a friend who visited Japan. You can just taste the quality! It is not the nutty flavor I typically like, but it is really tasty and naturally sweet. It does have a slight bitter after taste but it doesn't get it in the way of my enjoyment of it. So far I have only tried it as usacha. I plan to try as a latte once I get to the bottom of the tin.
Soft and pretty, but I missed the umami
Suiteki is sweeter and lighter than what I usually go for. It's hand-harvested from Nishio and you can kind of tell. Texture is super silky, no grit at all, finish is delicate. I think this would be perfect for someone just getting into matcha. For me personally I want more depth so I probably won't repurchase but I don't regret trying it.
Good all-around matcha
Sayaka is very tasty but I don't think it's as good as everyone hypes it up to be. The umami is noticeable and bitterness is mid-level. I used it for lattes before the price increases in 2025. Now, I think there are other options more worth the price.
One of my first loves
I tried Rocky's ceremonial blend around 3 years ago and still remember how surprised I was. I had drank mostly grocery store brands at that point. The flavor was so much tastier and more pure. It has great umami and does have some nuttiness that I like. I still enjoy it from time to time, but I feel like the price has gotten way too high. I'd rather spend that much on experimenting with new matchas!
Balanced but kind of boring
Kiyona was my first Uji from Kettl. I expected it to feel more different from a Marukyu since it's a multi-cultivar blend with cashew/butter notes in the description. Honestly I just got "good polished matcha" which is fine but doesn't pull me in like the Yame stuff does. It is super smooth though, no astringency complaints from me.
The hon-gyokuro thing actually delivers
OK I went down a rabbit hole on Seiho before ordering. The fact that they shade the bushes with rice straw the way you would for hon-gyokuro, but on matcha tencha?? I was worried it was going to be more marketing than anything. Nope. First sip has that deep gyokuro-style umami sweetness that I genuinely have not gotten from a lot of more expensive Uji matchas I've tried. Almost a brothy note in the finish without going seaweedy at all. Also: the fragrance when you crack the tin open is something else. Yame nuttiness with this extra layer of something almost honeyed?? I made it both ways and koicha was the move at 4g, the texture goes velvety. Best Yame I've had in this price range, easy.
Hmm... not sure how I feel
Yugen is one of those that I keep going back and forth on. Some cups are great, smooth and well balanced, and other cups feel kind of hollow to me?? Maybe that's a me problem with my prep. The grassy aroma is great but it doesn't have the flavor depth I'd expect for the price.
Yame wins again
Pretty much my dream daily matcha at this point!! I'd been telling myself I needed to branch out from Yame again, but Hoshino lineup keeps pulling me right back lol. Mellow umami with that creamy Yame finish, and zero bitterness creeping through. Drinks clean and a little sweet at the end. At under $2/g for a Yame ceremonial that performs this consistently as an usacha or latte...you just can't beat it. The only problem is how hard it is to find ANY Hoshino in stock these days.
A solid intro ceremonial
Wako keeps coming up when people ask "what should I try first from Marukyu" and I get it now. It's round and a little sweet on the finish. Doesn't blow me away but I've never had a bad cup of it. I gave a tin to my mom for her birthday and even she liked it which is a real test.
Dream matcha!
I really can't think of a better fit for what I like in a matcha! There is so much nuttiness and umami. There is no bitterness even when I make it as usacha. And yes, I've committed the sin of preparing this very expensive matcha as a latte once or twice lol.
Holds up to oat milk
I bought Aoarashi specifically because someone on reddit said it survives oat milk and they were right. It still has that fresh grassy thing coming through which most matchas just lose when you add anything to them. Not nutty, more vegetal-bitter, but that ends up being a good thing in a latte for me. Whisked usacha I would say it's fine but not memorable.
First time really enjoying an Uji blend
Branching out from Yame finally lol. The Tsuji Family Blend is a 7-cultivar Uji blend so I figured it would be a good way to dip a toe in without committing to a single estate. The color is honestly the brightest green I've ever made at home. Flavor is rich but not as nutty as I like, more in that classic Uji direction. I drink it usacha when I want to actually pay attention.
My latte default for now
Soukou is what I make when I don't want to think. It's nutty in the way I expect Yame to be without being super complex. I use it almost exclusively for lattes because the price is friendlier than Hinata or Hukuju. If you only have a budget for one Kettl matcha and you're going the latte route, this is the one IMO.
Pistachio matcha?? actually yes
OK I was skeptical when I read "pistachio" on the description because that sounds like marketing fluff. But it really does taste like that?? I had a Yame phase last year and Hukuju is one I keep coming back to. Smooth and a little sweet on the finish. My one gripe is I wish it was a bit more umami-heavy.
Yame nut bomb, love love love!!
Bought a 20g of Hinata back in January and immediately ordered another. This is what I want from a Yame matcha. Toasty, that white sesame thing the description mentions, super smooth. Whisks up creamy as usacha and it's actually thick enough that my latte oat milk doesn't drown it out. Not cheap but lasts me about 2 weeks if I'm being good.