Black storefront of Ippodo Tea's flagship store, tearoom and headquarters in Kyoto, Japan with lush cherry blossom trees
About Tea

I am a regular Ippodo drinker, and I noticed a difference in my tea. Why?

Written on April 20, 2026

Thank you for enjoying our teas so well for so long. Noticing a subtle shift in a blend is the mark of a thorough enjoyment; we are grateful to count a discerning drinker like you among our fans.

At Ippodo, our president and blending team work year-round to maintain a stable house character for each blend. They never create a batch that they do not stand by the quality of. However, tea is an inherently volatile and living crop, and each blend does show a different face from time to time.

There are four primary reasons you may notice a difference in your daily matcha:

  • Seasonality: Each year’s harvest has a character determined by the microclimate in the fields, which we work to mitigate by blending from different farms and locations.
  • Timing: Right after picking, new harvests have a vigorous, raw energy, so we rest them for a period of time, depending on the variety, to mature and develop their character. We then slowly introduce them into our blends, once they are ready. However, the timing of this introduction can be perceptible, when compared to the deep, mellow base of the previous year.
  • Daily Usage: As you enjoy a bag of matcha over several weeks, the flavor evolves slowly as it is exposed to air. When you open a brand-new, vacuum-sealed package, the contrast between the tea you just finished and the vibrance of the new tin can be surprising.
  • Subjectivity: Tea is sensitive to the context in which it is prepared. Imperceptible shifts in recipe day-to-day, or even the vessel you choose can highlight different notes. We often find that the same matcha feels pensive on a rainy afternoon yet restorative in the morning sun.

While we celebrate subtle natural fluctuations, we maintain a rigorous boundary between variation and flaw. A natural variation might present as a slightly more floral top note or a more assertive marine note. A flaw, such as a smoky or a lack of appropriate umami for the blend, is something we do not tolerate.

If you feel your tea has deviated beyond natural nuances, first, please save all relevant packaging and teas. Then, please write to us in the chat or on our contact page, and describe your experience. We will do our best to work with you, understand what’s behind the change, and come to a resolution.