A smooth yet mellow taste with notes of raw cacao makes this an excellent blend of matcha for matcha lattes, matcha teas or usucha. It has virtually no unpleasant bitterness or astringency. Certified organic by JAS (recognised by USDA). Made from the First Harvest tea leaves from the hilly Kirishima region just outside of Kagoshima city. The tea plants are shade grown, processed into tencha at modern facilities and only ground into matcha powder right before it leaves Japan for the USA.