Specifications
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Origin | Fukuoka (Yame) |
| Cultivar | Saemidori |
| Price | ~€31/30 g |
| Availability | tesuko.com |
Sensory analysis
Colour (8/10)
Bright, very clean green. Of all the cultivars we tasted, Saemidori comes closest to pure emerald. Surprisingly vivid in the tin.
Aroma (9/10)
This is where Tesuko shines. Floral and fresh (young pea, sea breeze, with a floral note close to sweet pea). The most interesting aroma of everything we tasted.
Foam (8/10)
Good foam, slightly less dense than the Cosmic but persistent and even.
Umami (7/10)
Umami present and elegant. Less intense than Uji Gokou, but of high quality. The L-theanine in Saemidori gives an umami that is fine rather than deep.
Astringency (9/10)
The lowest of the whole tasting. Tesuko is the easiest matcha here for a palate not used to straight umami.
Verdict
Tesuko is doing something different from the rest of the ranking. It is not trying to match the premium Uji teas on deep umami, but on aromatic elegance and ease. The price (€31 for 30 g) is a little high for its score, but the flawless traceability and the exceptional aroma justify the premium for anyone who values what happens in the nose over depth in the mouth.