Breakaway Matcha

What's in the box: Expect tins of high-grade Kyoto matcha from the brand's numbered or named blends, or a flight of small samples for tasting side by side.

Breakaway Matcha sells premium matcha from Kyoto, Japan, and takes a specialist's approach. Its matcha comes as numbered blends, such as Blend 93 (described as vivid and brothy) and Blend 94 (buoyant and creamy). Each blend combines tencha from farm plots with different terroir, sourced through Japanese farming cooperatives. Rarer named blends, including Rikyu, SE, Hikari and Daphne, are made in very limited quantities. The company says its matcha contains only ground green tea, with no sugar or additives. You can choose conventional or organic matcha, and the brand openly says it thinks its conventional matcha tastes better because of its stronger umami. If you're new to matcha, Matcha Flights and the Intro Flight give you small amounts of several blends so you can compare them before buying a full tin. A single-serve coldbrew option is handy for drinking on the go. The shop also sells other teas, ceramics, teaware and gift sets. Prices are high. Blend 93 is $48.00, Blend 94 is $58.00 and flights start at $36.00. The brand says the cost reflects slow, labor-intensive production and rarity. If you want a subscription, note that the site's main pages do not clearly describe a recurring delivery plan, so check whether repeat orders are offered before you buy.