Matcha cultivars are named varieties of the tea plant, Camellia sinensis.
Names such as Yabukita, Okumidori, Samidori and Saemidori refer to different cultivars, each with its own growing characteristics and potential influence on the finished tea.
What Does Cultivar Mean in Matcha?
A cultivar is a cultivated variety of a plant that has been selected and propagated for particular characteristics. In tea, cultivars can differ in things like when they bud, how they grow, their colour and the flavours and aromas they can produce.
Japanese tea plants are commonly propagated by cuttings so growers can reproduce the characteristics of a particular cultivar consistently.
What Are Some Common Matcha Cultivars?
You may see several cultivar names on matcha packaging, including:
- Yabukita: one of Japan's most widely grown tea cultivars and a common name across Japanese green tea.
- Okumidori: another cultivar frequently seen on matcha labels, either on its own or as part of a blend.
- Samidori: a Kyoto cultivar that is well suited to tencha, the tea used to make matcha.
- Saemidori: an early-budding cultivar known for high tea quality and attractive green colour.
Other names you may come across include Asahi, Gokou and Uji Hikari.
Do Cultivars Change How Matcha Tastes?
Yes, cultivar can influence flavour, aroma, colour and mouthfeel. But it does not determine the cup on its own.
The same cultivar can taste noticeably different depending on where it was grown, how long it was shaded, the harvest, processing, storage and preparation. This is why two Yabukita matchas do not necessarily taste the same.
For a broader look at flavour, read What Does Matcha Taste Like?
What Is Single-Cultivar Matcha?
Single-cultivar matcha is made from one cultivar rather than a blend of several cultivars. It can make it easier to explore how a particular cultivar expresses itself in a specific region and production style.
That does not automatically make it higher quality. A well-made blend can be just as intentional.
Are Matcha Blends Lower Quality?
No. Tea producers may blend cultivars to create a more balanced flavour, maintain consistency or combine different characteristics in the finished matcha.
A blend and a single-cultivar matcha are simply different approaches. Neither one is automatically better.
Is Cultivar the Same as Matcha Grade?
No. Cultivar tells you which variety of tea plant was used. It does not tell you the matcha's grade, harvest, region or overall quality.
Harvest timing is another separate factor. See First Harvest vs. Second Harvest Matcha: What’s the Difference?
Does the Cultivar Tell You If Matcha Is Good?
Not by itself. Cultivar is useful information, but good matcha still depends heavily on farming, shading, harvesting, tencha processing, grinding, freshness and storage.
A famous cultivar can still produce disappointing matcha if the rest of the process is poor. A less familiar cultivar can produce excellent matcha when it is grown and processed well.
How to Use Cultivar Names When Choosing Matcha
Think of cultivar as one clue about what you are drinking, not a ranking system. Once you try a few matchas, you may notice that you repeatedly enjoy certain cultivars or blends.
That is where cultivar information becomes most useful: it gives you another way to understand your own taste instead of simply looking for one supposedly “best” type of matcha.
