Pure Leaf Matcha Tea Review
It’s matcha time!
I will start off this Pure Leaf Matcha review with a small disclaimer – I’m no expert when it comes to matcha. I reckon I’ve consumed maybe 50 to 100 hand-whisked matcha teas over the years, so I’m by no means a natural with the matcha whisk.
Nonetheless, I love the flavour of this unique Japanese tea type and I was very much looking forward to putting Pure Leaf matcha to the test.
In my review below, find out what this matcha tastes like, how good the quality is, how I made it, and where you can buy it to try at home.
Pure Leaf Matcha at a Glance
Izzy's Rating
3.8/5
- Tea: Single origin Japanese matcha
- Flavour: Smooth, grassy sweetness with minimal bitterness
Compared to many of the matcha teas I’ve tried over the years, Pure Leaf’s offering has a much subtler bitterness. It’s not overly astringent and this really allows the sweetness to shine through. The colour, however, is lacklustre and there’s not as much depth of flavour as I would like.
Full Review – Ceremonial Matcha Powder
Izzy's Rating
3.8/5
- Type: Powdered
- Tea: Matcha, unflavoured
- Origin: Japan
- Flavour Notes: Sweet, minimal bitterness, grassy
- Aroma: Grassy, sweet, springtime leaves
- Milk or Lemon: Milk, if desired
- Where to Buy: Amazon
The Pure Leaf jar of matcha that I have delivers each serving of matcha in a little pouch, which saves you measuring it out. When I first opened the pouch, I was a little surprised at how dull the matcha powder appeared. Although the aroma is fresh and grassy, the colour is quite pale and lacklustre.
But it turns out, that was fine!
I’ve shown you a picture of how quickly the powder whisks up a great foam. This was about 50ml of water with one sachet, whisking for a minute or less. More info on my timings below.
The aroma of the whisked matcha is even fresher – notes of sweet springtime leaves and buds amidst the grassy notes appear. And as for the texture, it’s silky and smooth (and I didn’t even need to push it through a sieve).
Pure Leaf Matcha has a really nice flavour too. With matcha, a slight astringency is to be expected. That’s just part of the natural flavour. But with this matcha, the bitterness is very subtle and more of an after-thought. The sweetness dominates the cup and it’s a real delight!
Overall, I love this tea. Even though the foam fades quickly, the flavour is still spot on.
How to Make Pure Leaf Matcha
Pure Leaf’s instructions for their matcha are to pour 60ml of water over the matcha, whisk it, then top up to 250ml of water total. They don’t specify a water temperature, so I went with 85°C which I find works great for matcha.
I had problems with the water volumes, however.
I tried multiple times to whisk up a good froth with 60ml of water, but struggled. 50ml is the sweet spot for that first whisking. Then, when you top it up, you instantly loose that froth and no amount of whisking seems to bring it back.
This isn’t a major problem – it still tastes great – but it does dampen the experience a little.
Nonetheless, this is a great matcha to use in smoothies or to make a matcha latte. I actually recommend a latte, as you can froth the milk much more easily than the matcha, to create that frothy top texture.
Why Pick Pure Leaf for Matcha?
Matcha is only growing in popularity so you’ll have numerous options available to you when you need to buy some. But I definitely think that Pure Leaf matcha should be on your list to consider.
The matcha powder is already measured out, it whisks into a great froth, and the flavour is sublime too. My only small issue is the amount of packaging. While single serving pouches are convenient, they aren’t great for the environment. I’m not even sure they can be recycled.
So, if you happen to find Pure Leaf Matcha available to buy “loose” in a jar or box, then go for that. You can use a teaspoon or matcha scoop to measure out each cup. It’s not as convenient for us, but definitely is for the planet (and I imagine it will be cheaper too).
Summary
Whether you’re brand new to matcha or are looking to top up your stash with a new tea brand, I highly recommend you give Pure Leaf Matcha ago. This single origin green tea is available to buy through Amazon for most locations in the UK and USA. I’ve added a link below so you can check it out.
Tea Recommendation
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