Marukyu everyday grade. Whisks to a fine, even foam with a deep blue-green colour. Opens round and savoury, picks up just enough astringency mid-palate to keep it from turning sweet, and finishes cool and long. Good as daily usucha or whisked cold into milk.

Round umami, light astringency keeping time, cool finish. Everyday.

A step brighter than Aoarashi. Vivid green, with young grass and citrus peel on the nose. Light-bodied without being thin, closing on a little sweet cream and a warm finish. Hot brings out the aroma; cold keeps it tidy.

Vivid green, young grass and citrus peel, warm finish.

Thicker and naturally sweeter than Isuzu. Velvety texture that coats the palate evenly. Fresh-cut grass with a touch of acidity that stops it going heavy. Clean, long finish with nothing clinging.

Thick, naturally sweet, velvety. Clean finish.

Where the depth starts. Distinctly nutty, with a sweetness that stays and only a light bitterness arriving at the very end, like a full stop. Grassy but never sharp. The turning point between everyday tea and tea you sit down with.

Nutty, lasting sweetness, light bitterness at the close.

The top usucha in Marukyu core range. Full-bodied, with just enough bitterness to give it structure and a comfortable sweetness that carries well past the swallow. Fresh aroma, smooth light finish. If you only try one Marukyu, make it this.

Full-bodied, structured, lasting sweetness. Top usucha.

Sits between Wako and Unkaku. Creamy and thick, almost no bitterness, deep umami that never turns heavy. Edamame, citron peel and a little toffee on the finish. Takes koicha well, but its character still reads as usucha.

Thick and creamy, almost no bitterness, deep umami. Edamame and toffee.

Competition grade. Deep umami, thick creamy structure, a mouthfeel that stays gentle from first sip to last. Sweet on the nose before you drink. Broccoli rabe, white beans, light miso. Worth whisking as koicha at least once.

Deep umami, thick and creamy, gentle throughout. Competition grade.

Yamamasa entry grade and the least expensive tea here. Dark leaf, plainly grassy with nothing coy about it. Thick-bodied and a little astringent, so it reads as a strong cup. Finishes short and decisive. For people who like matcha with some push.

Plainly grassy, thick, a little astringent. Short finish.

Light and bright with no hard edges anywhere. Soft across the palate, easy even when whisked thick. Plain clean finish that leaves nothing heavy behind. Often what gets poured for someone drinking straight matcha for the first time.

Light, bright, soft. Easy drinking, clean finish.

About as balanced as this price gets. Natural sweetness reads on the nose before you drink, the body is light but finely drawn, and nothing crowds anything else out. Smooth, friendly, hard to get wrong.

Balanced, naturally sweet, smooth. Hard to get wrong.

A deeper green, and layers of aroma the grades below do not reach. Medium body, natural sweetness set against low astringency. Silken on the palate, with a long, refined finish. This one shows best hot and thoroughly whisked.

Layered aroma, silken texture, long finish.

Clear and pure. Very little astringency, gentle sweetness, everything held in check. The finish is long and quiet, fading rather than stopping. A tea for when you are not in a hurry.

Low astringency, gentle sweetness, long quiet finish.

The most concentrated in the Yamamasa range. Strong umami, pronounced natural sweetness, dark leaf and a thick full aroma. The finish is long and resonant and leaves a quiet behind it. Koicha is where it belongs.

Strong umami, pronounced sweetness, resonant finish. For koicha.

Opens on fresh leaf and green vegetables, with a lively rather than heavy umami. Light astringency balanced against natural sweetness, moving smoothly across the palate. Clean finish with a trace of warm earth, holding for a while.

Fresh leaf and greens, lively umami. Clean finish, warm earth.

Gentle aroma with a clear roasted-nut thread — uncommon at this price. Balanced umami, moderate astringency, soft sweetness. The finish is clean and smooth, so several bowls in a row never tire. A morning tea, exactly as the name says.

Gentle aroma, roasted nut, soft sweetness. Easy over several bowls.

Sweet as freshly baked butter pastry, with dried fruit on the nose. Tastes of white chocolate, light umami, and almost no astringency at all. Texture like cream. This is the one that changes the mind of people who think they dislike matcha.

Sweet as butter pastry, white chocolate, almost no astringency.

Soft florals alongside roasted nut and a hint of milk. Nutty on the palate, light umami, very gentle astringency. Smooth clean finish. Whisked cold into milk, the dairy note already in the tea opens up and meets it.

Soft florals, roasted nut, a hint of milk. Very gentle astringency.

Finer florals than Wazui, with nut and a soft sweetness behind them. Balanced umami, clear sweetness, gentle astringency, a texture like cream. Long, smooth, rounded finish with no edge anywhere. The safest bowl to hand a first-time guest.

Fine florals, balanced umami, creamy texture. Rounded finish.

The top of the Ishimoto range. Delicate florals with almond underneath. Deep, full umami with bittersweet cacao through the middle. Long sweet finish, clean all the way out. Drink it straight; do not put milk in this one.

Florals and almond, deep umami, cacao. Drink it straight.