Three different claims
On a spec sheet, origin, cultivar and field are three separate lines, and a tea can tick one without the others. Single origin says where the leaf grew. Single cultivar says which tea plant variety it is. Single field says it came from one plot, picked in one harvest. A Yame matcha can be single origin and still be a blend of three cultivars from a dozen farms, which is normal and often the better tea for a latte. We write all three lines on every spec sheet so you can see which claim you are buying.
Single origin: a place
In Japan the useful unit of origin is the prefecture or the growing district: Yame in Fukuoka, Kagoshima, Shizuoka, Uji in Kyoto. A single-origin matcha is tencha from one of those districts, milled without leaf from anywhere else. It tells you about climate and shading tradition. Yame sits in cool hills and is known for shaded tencha with a lot of umami; Kagoshima is warm, early and the home of most of Japan's organic tea; Shizuoka is the largest tea prefecture with steady supply. What single origin does not tell you is the grade: Yame makes everything from competition tea to culinary grade. Our origin comparison goes through the differences cup by cup.
Single cultivar: a plant
A cultivar is a registered variety of the tea plant, propagated by cutting so every bush is genetically the same. Japan's tea area is dominated by Yabukita, which reported figures from MAFF put at roughly three quarters of plantings, but shaded tea for matcha leans on varieties bred for colour and sweetness. The cultivars behind our catalog, and what each one does in the cup:
| Cultivar | Character | In our catalog |
|---|---|---|
| Saemidori | Vivid green, sweet, low astringency; the latte cultivar | Sae (Yame, 1st harvest) |
| Kirari | Bright colour, clean umami | Hoshi (Yame, 1st harvest) |
| Okumidori | Late budding, deep green, rounder body | Oku (Yame, 1st harvest) |
| Yabukita | The workhorse; balanced, slightly brisk | Megumi (Yame, 2nd harvest) |
| Tsuyuhikari | Soft, sweet, good colour hold | Shizuku (Yame, 2nd harvest) |
| Yutakamidori | Early, strong colour, Kagoshima's organic cultivar | Jun, Mori, Sawa (Kagoshima) |
| Asatsuyu | Naturally sweet, low astringency | Tsuyu (Kagoshima, 2nd harvest) |
Single cultivar is the claim that changes flavour most. Two Yame first harvests from Saemidori and Yabukita, picked the same week from neighbouring rows, taste different: the Saemidori sweeter and greener, the Yabukita brisker. If a café is building a signature drink around one tea and wants it to taste the same next year, naming the cultivar is how you get there.
Single field: a plot and a harvest
Single field, sometimes written single estate or single garden, is the narrowest claim: one plot, one farmer's shading and picking decisions, one harvest window. It is how competition teas are made and how the top of a tea house's range is usually sourced. Our Kiwami, Shizuoka first harvest at $510 / kg, is a single-origin, single-harvest lot sold with the spec sheet naming the harvest month; it is the closest thing in the catalog to a single-field tea at a wholesale price. The honest caveat: single field means small volume. A field gives one lot a year, and when it is gone it is gone until May.
Why most matcha is a blend, on purpose
The best tea houses in Japan built their reputations on blending, not on single fields. A blender tastes dozens of lots after each harvest and combines them so the house tea tastes the same every year, whatever the weather did. For a café that is the point: a latte that is the same in March as in October. Our blended lots, Wa at $275 / kg and Mai at $220 / kg, are built for exactly that, and they are the ones we recommend to a café opening its first location. The Uji range from Marukyu Koyamaen that we added this month is blended the same way; the maker names the harvest and the mill, and the blend is the recipe.
When it is worth paying for
- You name the tea on the menu. A single-cultivar lot gives you a story that is true and a flavour that is distinct. Worth the premium.
- You pour 400 lattes a week. A blend holds its price and its taste across the year. Single field will run out on you.
- You sell retail tins. Single origin and single cultivar are claims a customer can read and check on the spec sheet. Keep them accurate.
- You bake. None of the three claims survive butter and sugar. Buy on colour and price.
The way to settle it is in the cup. The sample form takes up to six teas; put a single-cultivar lot next to a blend from the same origin and taste them in the same milk.
Questions buyers ask
What is the difference between single origin and single cultivar matcha?
Single origin means the leaf grew in one district, such as Yame. Single cultivar means it is one registered tea plant variety, such as Saemidori. A tea can be single origin and still blend several cultivars.
What does single field or single estate matcha mean?
One plot, one farmer, one harvest window. It is the narrowest claim and the smallest volume: a field gives one lot a year.
Is single-cultivar matcha better for lattes?
Not automatically. Saemidori and Asatsuyu lots make bright, sweet lattes, but a well-made blend holds its taste and price across the year, which matters more for a high-volume menu.
Which cultivars are in your catalog?
Saemidori, Kirari, Okumidori, Yabukita, Tsuyuhikari, Yutakamidori and Asatsuyu as single-cultivar lots, plus blended lots. The cultivar is on every product page and spec sheet.
