· By Team Umi
Same Cultivar, Different Taste: Why?
Table of Contents:
- What is a Single Cultivar Matcha?
- Can the same cultivar taste different?
- What makes them taste differently?
- Key Takeaways
- Busting popular myths about cultivars
- Conclusion
You must’ve often heard someone say, “This doesn’t taste like the Okumidori I’ve had before. The taste profile is completely different.”
And honestly, they’re not wrong.
How can the same cultivar taste so different from one place to another? Is it the soil, the climate, the way it’s grown, or even how it’s processed?
In this blog, we’re going to dive into the fascinating world of cultivar flavour and understand why the same cultivar can surprise you with a completely different taste in every cup.
WHAT IS A SINGLE CULTIVAR MATCHA?
A Single-Cultivar matcha is made exclusively from the leaves of one specific variety or strain of the tea plant.
A single cultivar showcases the unblended, pure personality of one plant variety. The flavour changes based on the specific harvest.
CAN THE SAME CULTIVAR TASTE DIFFERENT?
The short immediate answer is yes, a single cultivar can taste different depending on the environment which include: the region, terroir, soil used, cultivation, farming and processing methods used.
WHAT MAKES THEM TASTE DIFFERENTLY?
Terroir and Soil: Differences in mineral composition, elevation, drainage and local geography across fields change how a single cultivar grows and expresses its flavour.
Climate and Weather: Seasonal temperature shifts, rain and sunlight hours cause year to year variations in the harvested leaves.
Growing Techniques: Factors like the type of fertilization (organic or non-organic), type/duration of shading and the level of shading alters the balance of amino acids, bitterness and the overall flavour profile.
Harvest timing: Leaves picked in the first flush harvest vary from leaves from later harvests. The method used for harvesting is also a factor that plays a major role.
Processing after Harvest: Changes in methods used for steaming, drying, ageing - (if aged) and milling also reshapes the final flavour profile.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
Hence, two matcha’s of the same cultivar can come from the same country or even within the same region and still taste remarkably different. One may feel savoury and more rounded, while another more aromatic, sweet and brisk. The difference is rarely explained and determined by a single label.
The taste of the matcha reflects an entire chain of system: cultivar, region, terroir, growing environment, shading, harvesting, tencha processing, grinding, storage and preparation. Each factor influences the final cup.
A cultivar can set and determine a plants potential. Growing and processing conditions shape how that potential develops. Storage determines how well it is preserved and preparation changes how you experience it.
BUSTING POPULAR MYTHS AROUND CULTIVARS:
MYTH 1
“This cultivar is supposed to taste a certain way”: A Cultivar can influence the raw materials composition, colour potential, aroma compounds, growth cycle and response to cultivation. In a 2024 controlled study, four cultivars received the same 3 week shading treatment and were processed using the same methods. Yet, researchers found differences in sensory evaluations, colour, amino acids, catechin, polyphenols and aroma active compounds.
This finding supports the conclusion that the cultivar matters. It does not support the claim that one single cultivar is supposed to taste a certain way or that it must taste identical, wherever or however it is grown. Same cultivars express differently even when grown within the same region.
Takeaway: A single cultivar declares the genetic identity of the plant. It cannot guarantee a fixed aroma, precise umami or flavour profile.
MYTH 2
“Growing environment = Region name”: Tea develops within an environment that includes temperature, rainfall, sunlight, altitude, topography, soil, drainage and the conditions of a particular growing season. Farming decisions such as pruning, fertilisation, plant health management and field exposure also affect the leaf that reaches the harvest.
This is why geographical origin is useful but incomplete. A named region improves traceability and can point to the established production traditions of a certain region. It does not mean that every farm, field, cultivar and batch from that region shares one sensory profile.
Descriptions such as “Uji is always creamy and umami” or “Kagoshima is always fresh” turn complex production systems into regional stereotypes and taglines. Even within a small area, producers using the same cultivar use different shading methods, farming techniques, harvest dates and processing facilities.
Takeaway: Region should therefore be treated as context, not a flavour guarantee. What origin may tell you: Where the tea or its raw material was grown. What it does not tell you: One universal or regional cultivar taste.
IN THE END:
A cultivar is the genetic foundation of a matcha, but it is only one part of the story. The region, terroir, climate, soil, cultivation practices, shading, harvest timing, processing, storage and preparation all influence how that cultivar ultimately expresses itself in the cup.
This is why two matcha's made from the same cultivar can look, smell and taste remarkably different. A cultivar can suggest a range of possibilities, but the growing and production environment determines how those possibilities develop.
So, rather than asking, “What is this cultivar supposed to taste like?”, it may be more useful to ask, “How has this cultivar been grown and processed?”
Because in the world of matcha, same cultivar doesn’t always mean same flavour. It’s the journey from leaf to bowl that brings each matcha its unique character and that’s what makes each cup worth exploring.