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Matcha tea has become the favorite drink of the wellness generation for all the antioxidant and energizing properties it contains: from minerals to proteins, vitamins or elements such as L-Theanine that stimulate concentration and memory, reducing anxiety and improving mood.
Whether for its benefits or to follow the uniformity of fashion, the streets are filled with people walking with matcha lattes with ice, as if it were a new streetstyle accessory. Whether you’re already part of the community, and have started the matcha ritual and/or have incorporated it into your lifestyle, or you intend to do so now, here’s a selection of matcha specialty brands you should put on your radar.
TRANQUILO MATCHA
Tranquilo Matcha is presented as the antidote to slow down the pace of modern life. It is a Barcelona-based brand of Asian green tea born from two lovers of Asian culture and gastronomy who aim to offer an organic and high quality matcha. ‘The TRANQUILO concept is strongly linked to art and culture, so we seek to create a community to unite local artists and matcha lovers and collaborate in the creation of unique pieces and accessories.’
In his store you can find all the kit with which to become a matcha barista: from his ceremonial tea that combines a slightly sweet umami flavor, mixing okumidori, saemidori and yabukita varieties, to a bamboo spoon, a sifter, a ceramic bowl or a bamboo whisk. All created under a minimalist and very neat aesthetic.
MAISON MATCHA
La Maison del matcha in Madrid, created by Violeta Mangriñan, is the real hot spot for devotees of this Asian green tea that they reinterpret and version through all kinds of sweets, drinks and even savory dishes such as focaccias.
Maison Matcha’s matcha latte, one of its most desired products, stands out for being free of artificial colorings and flavorings, and is made with the yabukita and sayamakaori varieties that give it a sweet and delicate flavor.
MATCHA & CO
Matcha & CO is one of the most recognized brands of this energetic green beverage initially reserved for ceremonial rites. In their display they have an organic matcha tea and a high quality premium matcha tea from Uji (Kyoto).
In addition to the classics, they have innovative blends such as a vanilla-flavored matcha blend or a hyaluronic acid, magnesium and collagen blend that, as described on their website, ‘offers a holistic health boost’.
PANDA PATISSERIE
This Japanese pastry shop serves one of the best matchas in the capital. Not only in the form of a drink with milk, water or as a frappé, but also cookies or different dessert fillings. It can also be purchased in powdered form so that it can be prepared at home.
Panda Patisserie’s matcha tea comes from the town of Uji, the capital of first harvest green tea. Once harvested, its leaves are dried and stone ground in a process invented in Kyoto that protects matcha from oxidation. The result of all this care results in a unique matcha tea, difficult to find outside the Uji region and characterized by an intense green and a distinct sweetness that makes this healthy beverage an even more enjoyable pleasure.’
MATCHAFLIX
Matchaflix proposes to prepare matcha in the most authentic way, just as they do in Japan. To do so, it offers different 100% natural products with different matcha tea flavors, such as the original, vanilla, cocoa, blueberry, coconut or ginger.
‘Our suppliers have been masters of this culinary art for more than 200 years in Japan. They also have an environmentally friendly, sustainable and organic way of working, so the Matcha has an impressive natural flavor.’
