Superior Ceremonial is a first-harvest matcha from Uji, south of Kyoto, where tea growers have shaded their fields and ground matcha for centuries. The young spring leaves are shaded before picking, which keeps them deep green and full of flavor.

Whisked with water alone, it is sweet and creamy, with a soft, fresh green body and a clean finish that asks for the next sip. It is a bowl to drink on its own: sift a level teaspoon into a warm bowl, add a few ounces of water just off the boil, and whisk until a fine foam rises.

It comes from a family that has been making matcha for 400 years. Mike Harney selects it, and our tasting team cups every new lot before it ships, the way we have chosen every tea for four decades.