Breakaway Matcha

Boosting my score to a perfect 100…because it really deserves it. Breakaway sells the absolute best matcha that I’ve tried. Hands down. It’s so smooth and drinkable, and there is absolutely no bitterness. I add a bit of honey, but it really doesn’t need it. I’ve been enjoying it most mornings, and I really look forward to it. Highly recommend for matcha lovers. All of their varietals that I’ve tried have been great, but I gravitate towards this one because of the value, and I make most of my matcha iced anyway.

I’ve been on the search for a really drinkable matcha, and stumbled across Breakaway Matcha. Some of the varieties they carry can get pretty pricey (their most expensive is $209/30g YEESH). I was intrigued, and saw that they offered a customizable sampler. I was going to go that route, until I saw that they actually have an offer to send 2 packets of their cold brew matcha for free! I was very excited. They reached me yesterday in a nice little envelope, with some brewing instructions (basically put the packet and some cold water in a bottle and shake). I made some this morning and I am quite shocked at how tasty it is! So smooth and creamy, no bitterness at all. It’s also a really appealing, bright luscious green. I’m really, really impressed, and will be making a purchase shortly.

I drink matcha every day and regularly drink matcha from Do Matcha, Ippido, Hibiki and Breakaway. In other words, I drink only the best. There is one that rises above all of them and that is Breakaway’s new SE Blend. Unbelievable…..unbelievably expensive and unbelievably worth it.

This tasting is for Breakaway Matcha Blend 97, which is at the higher-end of the Breakaway spectrum (Blend 100 is their most premium).

97 was my first experience making matcha at home. Since I’m not normally a matcha drinker, I compared 97 with a mid-grade drinking matcha from the local Japanese grocery in order to calibrate my taste buds. The difference was stark: the grocery matcha was a dull green powder that makes a harsh and bitter cup, whereas 97 was vibrant, nearly neon green, smooth, and sweet.

I used the recommended Breakaway technique to make a thin (usu-cha) cup:

This is not traditional, but the results were good.

97 has the strong grassy aroma I associate with matcha, but with none of the bitterness. My biggest surprise was the caffeine kick: it is pleasant, gentle high that is quite noticeable. The aroma paired with the pick-me-up is the hallmark of this tea. I find myself craving it sometimes. Is this what coffee addiction is like?

Despite the nice aroma, the taste is fairly flat. Perhaps this is due to the whisking technique. I remember tasting an usu-cha on my last trip to Tokyo, prepared in the traditional method, that had wonderful hints of umami, nuttiness, and a tad of astringency in addition to the grassy green baseline. I don’t get that kind of complexity out of 97.

In any case, Breakaway Matcha has piqued my interest. I will definitely be exploring matcha further and making it part of my tea rotation.