Gyokuro Imperial Shade-Grown Green Tea vs Uji Ceremonial Grade Matcha

Both shade-grown, both high in L-theanine, and only one of them is a powder.

sweetnessaciditybitternessbodyaroma
Gyokuro Imperial Shade-Grown Green TeaUji Ceremonial Grade Matcha
Measured comparison of Gyokuro Imperial Shade-Grown Green Tea and Uji Ceremonial Grade Matcha
Gyokuro Imperial Shade-Grown Green TeaUji Ceremonial Grade Matcha
Caffeine85 mg70 mg
Serving3 oz (90ml) small bowl2g powder in 2.5 oz water
Strength (per 100 ml)94.4 mg94.6 mg
AcidityLowLow
CategoryGreenMatcha
OriginUji, Kyoto, JapanUji, Kyoto, Japan
Best forTeapot & mugWhisked
Water50°C80°C
With milkEither wayEither way
Tastes ofRich Umami Seaweed, Lush Pine Forest, Dewy MelonRich Umami, Fresh Spinach, Nori Seaweed

Which one, for what

Worked out from the two records above rather than asserted, so nothing here can contradict the table.

  • A hard morning startGyokuro Imperial Shade-Grown Green Tea

    Gyokuro Imperial Shade-Grown Green Tea carries 85 mg against 70 mg.

  • Drinking it after sixUji Ceremonial Grade Matcha

    Lower caffeine wins here, and at a five-hour half-life the gap matters more than it looks.

  • A sensitive stomachToo close to call

    Gyokuro Imperial Shade-Grown Green Tea is low acidity; Uji Ceremonial Grade Matcha is low. Acidity is only part of why a drink provokes reflux, but it is the part you can choose.

  • Taking it with milkToo close to call

    Gyokuro Imperial Shade-Grown Green Tea: either way. Uji Ceremonial Grade Matcha: either way.

  • Something to sit and pay attention toGyokuro Imperial Shade-Grown Green Tea

    Gyokuro Imperial Shade-Grown Green Tea scores higher on aroma, and much of the pleasure in these drinks is retronasal.

  • Making it without special equipmentToo close to call

    Gyokuro Imperial Shade-Grown Green Tea wants teapot & mug; Uji Ceremonial Grade Matcha wants whisked.

Axis by axis

sweetnessGreen Tea noticeably higher
aciditymuch the same
bitternessGrade Matcha noticeably higher
bodyGreen Tea noticeably higher
aromaGreen Tea noticeably higher

Comparative editorial positions within this catalogue, calibrated so entries can be ranked against one another. Not laboratory measurements.

Gyokuro Imperial Shade-Grown Green TeaThe pinnacle of Japanese green tea: 3 weeks of shade-growing produces an intense umami sweetness unmatched in the plant kingdom.Read the full page Uji Ceremonial Grade MatchaVibrant shade-grown Japanese green tea powder, unusually high in L-theanine.Read the full page

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