Single-Cultivar vs Blended Matcha: What’s the Difference?

What is a matcha cultivar?

A cultivar is a cultivated variety of the tea plant.

Although matcha is made from the same general tea species, Camellia sinensis, different cultivars are grown for particular characteristics. These can include colour, flavour, aroma, umami, harvest timing, crop yield and suitability for shaded tea production.

You can think of cultivars a little like varieties of grapes or apples. They belong to the same broader plant family, but each variety can bring something different to the final product.

However, the cultivar is only one part of the matcha.

Where the tea was grown, when it was harvested, how it was shaded, how the leaves were processed and how the finished matcha was stored can all affect what eventually reaches your bowl.

What is single-cultivar matcha?

Single-cultivar matcha is made using one tea cultivar rather than combining several cultivars.

This allows the characteristics of that particular variety to be more noticeable. Depending on the cultivar and how it was produced, the matcha may have a distinctive aroma, a stronger umami character, more sweetness, a particular shade of green or a recognisable finish.

For someone who enjoys tasting and comparing different teas, single-cultivar matcha can be interesting for the same reason single-origin coffee is interesting. It provides a more focused expression of one component.

However, “single cultivar” does not automatically mean it came from one farm, was harvested on one day, is first harvest, comes from Uji, is higher quality or will taste better.

The label only tells you that one tea cultivar was used. It does not explain the entire growing and production process.

What is blended matcha?

A blended matcha combines tea selected from more than one cultivar or production lot to create a particular flavour profile.

Importantly, blended matcha can still be 100% pure matcha.

In this context, “blend” does not mean a premixed matcha latte powder containing sugar, milk powder, flavouring or other ingredients. It refers to different teas being carefully combined before the finished matcha is packaged.

Blending is not a shortcut or an indication of lower quality. It is a traditional skill that allows producers to bring together the best qualities of different teas and create a balanced finished product.

Why is matcha blended?

One cultivar might offer a rich green colour but have a sharper finish. Another may contribute sweetness, aroma, umami or a softer mouthfeel.

By bringing them together, a skilled producer can create a more balanced matcha with the intended level of sweetness, umami, bitterness, aroma, colour, body and finish.

Blending can also create a matcha with enough body, aroma and depth to remain noticeable when paired with other ingredients. This can be especially useful in flavoured drinks, where milk, syrups or cold foams may otherwise overpower a more delicate matcha.

By balancing different cultivars, producers can create a rounded flavour profile that complements these ingredients while still allowing the distinctive taste of matcha to shine through.

This does not mean that every blended matcha will perform better in flavoured drinks, or that a single-cultivar matcha cannot be bold enough for a latte. It depends on the characteristics of the individual tea and how the blend has been designed.

Blending can also help a tea producer maintain the intended character and quality of a matcha from one harvest to another.

Tea is an agricultural product, which means the flavour and characteristics of the available leaves can vary depending on weather, growing conditions, harvest year and production lot.

Because of this, the exact cultivars and proportions used in a blend may change. Rather than following one fixed recipe every year, producers can adjust the blend to keep the flavour and quality of the finished matcha as consistent as possible.

Consistency does not always mean using the exact same cultivar combination. Sometimes, it means thoughtfully changing the combination to achieve a similar overall result.

Is single-cultivar matcha better than a blend?

Neither is automatically better.

A well-produced single-cultivar matcha may be exceptional. It may also taste quite unusual, intense or unbalanced, depending on the cultivar and the person drinking it.

Likewise, a blend can be bright, complex and carefully considered, or it can be ordinary.

Quality cannot be determined from the word “single” or “blend” alone.

The better questions to ask are where it was produced, when it was harvested, whether it is pure matcha, how it was stored, whether the colour is vibrant and whether it smells fresh.

Most importantly, do you enjoy the way it tastes?

A cultivar name can provide useful information, but it should not become another marketing term that replaces the actual drinking experience.

What does Matchérie use?

Our Shinobi matcha is a first-harvest, multi-cultivar blend produced in the Uji region of Kyoto.

The blend may include cultivars such as Okumidori, Saemidori and others. However, the exact cultivars and their proportions can vary depending on the harvest year and production lot.

Our farmers select and blend different teas to keep Shinobi’s flavour and quality as consistent as possible. Rather than following one fixed cultivar recipe each year, they work with the characteristics of the available leaves to create the intended finished result.

We selected Shinobi for its complete flavour profile rather than the name of one individual cultivar.

It has a vibrant green colour, natural sweetness and a creamy finish, with mild umami and minimal bitterness. It is balanced enough to enjoy with water while remaining present when paired with milk.

Its balance, body and depth also help the matcha remain noticeable in flavoured drinks. Whether it is paired with milk, syrup, fruit or cold foam, the intention is for the additional flavours to complement the matcha rather than overpower it.

It contains only pure Japanese matcha, with no added sugar, milk powder, flavouring or fillers.

For us, the purpose of the blend is not to make every individual cultivar noticeable. It is to create a matcha that feels balanced, consistent and enjoyable as a whole.

So, which one should you choose?

Choose single-cultivar matcha when you are curious about a particular variety and want to explore its individual characteristics.

Choose a blended matcha when you want a balanced flavour profile intentionally created by the producer.

But do not assume that one is automatically more authentic, premium or higher quality than the other.

The best matcha is not necessarily the one with the most impressive terminology on its packaging. It is the one that has been grown and processed with care, kept fresh and tastes good in the way you enjoy drinking it.