Spiller & Tait Finest Organic Japanese Matcha Green Tea Powder Ceremonial Grade 30g Great Taste Award

So, after reading about the health benefits of Matcha tea for some time, but always been a bit taken aback by the cost of it, I finally took the plunge and bought a 30g pack from Spiller & Tait. Prior to buying it, I was keen to find out what it was likely to taste like, but never really found any specific details. As such, and in the interests of reassuring anyone else who might have the same concern or curiosity, I thought I'd leave a review.Firstly, when making yourself a cup - follow the instructions on the pack, especially the one that suggests starting with just one gram of Matcha tea to 70-100ml water. If you're hard-core, you could leap straight into two grams, but if you're a bit unsure, as I was, one gram is the way to go. Also, do measure out your water, 70 - 100mls is far less than you think it might be.Secondly, invest, if you can, in a little mini, battery operated whisk - it will really help break the powder up in to the water. If you do invest in a whisk though, make sure to prepare your tea in a container that has a lot of empty space at the top. I reckon I lost about a 1/4 of my first cup of Matcha as a result of the twister type vortex the mini whisk created.Okay, assuming you have done the above, you then get to the critical moment of drinking it. There is no easy way to put this, it will absolutely look and smell like pond water. Some product reviews and advertisements go on about a "sweet earthiness" - sorry, all I got was pond water.However, don't let this deter you. As long as you don't breathe in through your nose when you drink the tea, there is absolutely no taste at all of pond water in what you drink. It's the weirdest thing, after smelling it I was preparing myself for it to taste hideous, but it didn't - it didn't really taste of anything other than water. There is also no bitterness and it doesn't catch in the back of your throat as some teas can do.As for the buzz/alertness some people have said they feel after drinking it, although it will obviously be different for everyone, I experienced something similar myself. It's really hard to explain, but about 5 minutes after finishing the tea, (which took all of a few minutes to drink), I became aware of feeling completely clear headed and buzzing with energy. It's so hard to explain, but was nothing like the buzz a strong coffee can give you, it was more like I'd stuck my head in a clear, cold mountain stream. This feeling didn't last forever, but certainly lingered for about 10 minutes and was a great pick me up at a normally sluggish time of the day, (4pm in the afternoon).Once the clear headedness had dissipated, I then became aware of feeling very relaxed, not in a sleepy way, just very relaxed.The final sensation I had from the tea was a bit unexpected, but came nearly an hour after I'd drunk it. I suddenly felt really hot, to the extent that I broke out in a sweat. At the time I was walking about, but not with any great exertion so the heat would not have come from that. This phase didn't last very long, maybe about 5 minutes, and then my body temperature returned to normal.I have no idea whether this is a common experience after drinking the tea, but I certainly wouldn't let it put me off drinking it and I plan to continue drinking at least one cup a day, ideally two. Maybe the body warming experience was the fat burning properties, (that the tea apparently has), doing its stuff. Who knows.........In a nutshell though, don't let worries about what it tastes like put you off; whilst it doesn't smell great, the smell absolutely doesn't translate into the taste, and the buzz, followed by the relaxed feeling is lovely.

I've only had teapigs matcha so am no connoisseur, but in comparison I think this is really nice. Delicate taste, yet has a depth and quality and I feel great after a cup in the morning. Didn't get that feeling so much with the other brand, although it was not bad. This one was easier to dissolve and cheaper in price than teapigs and a lovely colour which is indicative of quality apparently. Good value for an organic high quality tea.

Not the first ceremonial matcha I had and certainly not the best. Comparison to another brand Kineta:Colour: Kineta, simply greenerSmell: Kineta is sweeter but S&T has a more complex and well rounded fragrance. I'd say S&T is more green-teaish since the sweetness and unique matcha aroma which is slightly compromised for S&T comes from the shaded-growing phase, during which the vibrant green colour is developed.Foam: both very goodTaste: similar amount of Umami. However, S&T is bitter which undermines its sweetness and umami.Overall experience: personally I preferred Kineta, it is very smooth and soothing with the right amount of umami and pleasant aftertaste. I'd definitely recommend it to matcha beginners and those with delicate taste buds. S&T is a fine product by itself, but lacks a bit in the characteristics of matcha. It could go well as latte though but I haven't tried it myself.The difference is acceptable as S&T is indeed few pounds cheaper. But I was shocked reading the S&T reviews where a lot people commented on the 'non-bitterness' of it.PS: matcha is my favourite and it's always excellent regardless of the brand. I'd give it five stars if not for that fact that some products are better than the others, and definitely worth the extra few pounds. :)

I used to be a serial coffee drinker and suffered severe headaches when I cut down a few years ago. Now I avoid anything containing caffeine after 2pm but late in the afternoon I get a little weary and was looking for a pick me up. I had never tried Matcha tea before but I read that although it contains caffeine it doesn't have the same detrimental effect as other beverages. I thought it might be worth a try.First impressions were a little off putting. The powder is a lovely green colour but when you add water it does look a bit like stagnant pond water. Once whisked it has quite a creamy texture and I really love the taste. I've treated myself to a bamboo whisk to mix it properly and a spoon to measure the correct amount. I now have an enjoyable afternoon ritual and I'm very pleased I tried it.It does give me just the lift I was hoping for and I haven't noticed any detrimental side effects. As for all the claims made about it? Well its too early to say but I shall definitely be buying more.

Finest Organic Japanese Matcha Green Tea.I have just found green tea, and after a period of getting used to the bitter taste I am now hooked. I have been looking for a Matcha powder and decided to investigate Amazon. I have read the reviews with respect to many of the green tea products sold by Amazon, the reviews for this product were very enthusiastic and complementary with respect to the quality and value for money. I decided to order a packet, and wow this stuff is great. The colour of the powder is so vibrant and the flavour is so delicious. I am so well pleased with my purchase that I will certainly come back for more. Spiller and Tait have sent me a very lovely and informative email regarding their product, they are obviously very customer focused and proud of their product. I would certainly recommend this product - just indulge and enjoy.

Not good at all, dull and not fresh.