MATSUBA 松葉 Japanese Matcha

A light-bodied Japanese matcha with a straightforward vegetal character, low astringency, and a subtle dark-cocoa finish. MATSUBA 松葉 means “pine needles” or “pine leaves”—a name inspired by its muted, complex green color and the quiet image of pine leaves rustling in the wind.

The Experience

MATSUBA 松葉 is a light and approachable Japanese matcha with a distinctly vegetal character.

The cup opens with clean green, vegetal notes and a light body, followed by low astringency that keeps the texture smooth and easy to drink. Toward the finish, an unexpected hint of dark cocoa emerges—subtle rather than sweet, adding depth without taking the matcha away from its fresh green character. The result is straightforward yet nuanced: light, vegetal, and smooth.

We named it MATSUBA 松葉, meaning “pine needles” or “pine leaves.” The name reflects both the matcha's muted, complex light-green color and the imagery of pine leaves moving gently in the wind—quiet, natural, and understated.

Tasting Notes

Profile: Light ✦ Vegetal ✦ Smooth
Opening: Fresh • Vegetal
Mid-Cup: Clean green tea • Light-bodied
Finish: Smooth • Subtle dark cocoa
Astringency: Low
Body: Light

Tea & Ingredients

Tea Type: Matcha Green Tea
Ingredients: Matcha green tea
Added Flavoring: None
Caffeine: Caffeinated

Unlike loose-leaf tea, matcha is finely powdered and whisked directly into water, so the tea leaf itself is consumed rather than removed after steeping.

How to Prepare

For a traditional bowl, sift approximately 1 matcha poon of MATSUBA into a matcha bowl. Sifting helps break up small clumps and creates a smoother, more even suspension.

Add approximately 2–3 oz / 60–90 ml of water at 160–175°F / 71–79°C. Using a bamboo chasen, whisk briskly until the matcha is evenly suspended and a fine layer of foam develops across the surface.

Enjoy MATSUBA first with water alone. This is the best way to experience its fresh vegetal opening, light body, low astringency, and subtle dark-cocoa finish. For a lighter cup, simply add additional warm water after whisking.

Traditional preparations to explore:

• Usucha (Thin Tea): Use a smaller amount of matcha with more water and whisk briskly to create a fine foam. This preparation suits MATSUBA particularly well, highlighting its light body, clean vegetal character, and smooth finish.
• Koicha (Thick Tea): Prepare with more matcha and less water for a concentrated expression. Rather than whisking vigorously for foam, slowly knead and fold the matcha with the chasen until thick and smooth. This preparation brings greater intensity to MATSUBA's vegetal character and underlying cocoa-like finish.

Tea Expert Tip: Avoid boiling water. Begin around 160–175°F / 71–79°C and experiment within that range. Cooler water generally gives you a softer expression, while warmer water can emphasize vegetal character and astringency.

What Does MATSUBA 松葉 Mean?

松葉 — Matsuba — literally refers to “pine needles” or “pine leaves.”

We chose the name not because pine is an ingredient or flavor, but because it captures the visual and sensory impression of this matcha. Its muted, complex light-green color evokes the varied greens of pine foliage rather than an intensely vivid single shade.

There is also something quieter in the name: the image of pine leaves stirring and rustling in the wind—movement expressed through something restrained and natural. That imagery fits MATSUBA's character in the cup. It doesn't overwhelm with richness or intensity. It is light, vegetal, smooth, and quietly expressive.

Why Low Astringency Matters

Astringency is the drying or gently puckering sensation tea can leave on the palate. It is different from bitterness. MATSUBA has low astringency, which contributes significantly to its smooth character.

That makes it an approachable reference point in a comparative tasting: once you recognize MATSUBA's low astringency, it becomes easier to identify greater structure and drying sensation in another matcha such as YUUBI.

Learning to separate bitterness, astringency, vegetation, sweetness, umami, body, and finish is one of the most useful steps toward tasting matcha like a tea professional.

Packaging & Storage

Store matcha tightly sealed and protected from heat, moisture, light, air, and strong odors. Once opened, use it while its aroma and fresh green character are at their best.

Explore Churchill's Matcha Collection

Begin with MATSUBA 松葉 as the lightest and smoothest of these three expressions. Then move to YUUBI 優美 for greater earthiness and structure, followed by Gyokuro Matcha for fuller body and deeper umami.

Prepare all three using the same amount of matcha, water, temperature, and technique. The comparison demonstrates an essential lesson in tea tasting: pure matcha does not need added flavoring to offer dramatically different flavor profiles.

MATSUBA vs. YUUBI vs. Gyokuro Matcha

Churchill's pure matchas are selected to offer different expressions.

MATSUBA 松葉 (This Matcha)
Light ✦ Vegetal ✦ Smooth
→ For those who prefer a light body, straightforward vegetal character, low astringency, and subtle dark-cocoa finish.

YUUBI 優美 — Organic
Medium-Light ✦ Earthy ✦ Refined
→ For those who prefer an earthy-forward matcha with delicate grassiness and slightly more structure from astringency.

Gyokuro Matcha
Full ✦ Umami ✦ Meditative
→ For those seeking the fullest and most umami-driven expression, with greater depth and richness.

Think of them not as good, better, best, but as three different expressions of pure matcha:

• MATSUBA is light and smooth.
  
• YUUBI is earthy and refined.
  
• Gyokuro is full and meditative.

MATSUBA is particularly suited to traditional matcha preparation, everyday matcha drinking, comparative tastings, and tea drinkers beginning to explore pure Japanese matcha without added flavors or sweeteners.