From a drink that was considered the preserve of the cognoscenti of only the Japanese tea ceremony to a world-wide “superfood” matcha has come a very long way.

? Malcha is the Korean pronunciation of the characters 抹茶 (pronounced ‘matcha’ in Japanese and ‘muocha’ in Chinese). Once the preserve of those in the know, malcha can now be said to be ubiquitous. From the bowl of tea made by the Tea Master, through malcha cakes, confectionary and cookies, to malcha lattes and smoothies and other culinary delights and dietary supplements with magical properties. The journey though long in the making was swift in the final stages of achieving fame.

Malcha is powdered green tea but not all powdered green teas are malcha. To be malcha the tea leaves must be 연차 or ‘yeoncha (Jap: sencha)’, partially or fully shaded, steamed, dried, deveined and finally milled into a fine powder using only stone mills. Lower grade malcha and matcha is often ground using steel mills or other metal mills which causes a heating of the powder resulting in a degradation of colour, aroma and taste. These teas are destined for the cooking and additives markets.

It is supposed by many that Korean malcha is the new kid on the block. This is far from the truth. I have been informed that malcha was first used in the Goryeo dynasty which was founded in 918 by King Taejo. The kingdom fell in 1392 and gave way to the Joseon Dynasty. Whether malcha was introduced in 918 or 450 odd years later is not known. As tea drinking fell from favour in the Joseon dynasty due to the change from Buddhism to Confucianism we may surmise that malcha drinking also fell by the way. There was certainly the introduction of matcha from Japan during the Japanese invasion of the Korean peninsular. All this left malcha in a rather parlous state.

Over the years that I have travelled Korea when malcha was served the host was always keen to point out that the tea was an import from Japan and not the domestic malcha. In fact, the locally produced malcha that I did find to taste was a pale greenish-yellow colour, did not hold frothing well and was bitter in taste. So why would one bother?

On my last trip to the Hadong Wild Tea Festival I stumbled across something quite extraordinary. A small booth with two stone grinding mills and a group of workers hand deveining tea leaves and feeding them into the mill. I asked to see the tea. It was a deep emerald colour with an aroma of such freshness of spring meadows. I asked to taste.

The foam was thick and redolent of the best matchas I had ever tasted. The taste was creamy, full, sweet, full of vanilla, brazil nuts and maple syrup with a chimera of astringency that harmonised the complete symphony. If that sounds a little over-the-top….well, you really needed to be there.

How was this sensation achieved? Areas of Hadong teas are covered for three weeks prior to harvest, this increases the theanine levels that has a direct influence on flavour. For the scientists amongst us theanine also known as L-γ-glutamylethylamide and N5-ethyl-L-glutamine, is an amino acid analogue of the proteinogenic amino acids L-glutamate and L-glutamine and is found primarily in particular plant and fungal species. It was discovered as a constituent of green tea in 1949. Lots of health claims are associated with theanine including being an anxiolytic and an antihypertensive. Shading either fully or partially is done on a day-to-day and hour-to-hour basis depending on the strength of the sun.

Next, careful and premium processing is considered essential to preserve flavour and then rolling using stone mills at a painfully slow rate that only produces 30 grams of malcha per one hour from each mill. The producers of the malcha I tasted have 17 stone mills and are committed to producing extraordinarily high quality, organicall certified malcha. This is a labour of love.

Here at Tea Total we are fortunate to have the first malcha produced by this company for sale in Australia. We shall launch this at the Sydney Tea Festival on the 21st August 2016 and it will then be available via our online Tea Shop here. This is a tea experience that I was glad I did not miss.

Most people who have a passing acquaintance with Korean tea may feel that it is mainly of the green tea variety and to a very large extent this is true. By far the largest market both in and out of South Korea is for the various grades of green tea that are produced.

But there are now other teas coming to the fore that expands the Korean tea repertoire. It is not that these teas have never been made in Korea, it is that the tea drinking community is exploring new methods of tea production and, rather like in the west where oxidised teas are the principle market, this form of tea is gaining in popularity.

Of the four types of Korean oxidised tea that Tea Total stocks and supplies I want to introduce you firstly to Blue Tea, or Puruncha.

Blue Tea is of course an old term and has been used in the past to refer to oolong tea - as indeed some oolongs have a distinct blue tinge to the dry, finished leaf. This is also true of the Blue Tea from the Puruncha Tea Culture & Research Institute in Daegu, South Korea.

Mrs Oh is the Tea Master and Director of this Institute. For many years she has been making her Blue Tea exclusively by hand and for purchase only at the Daegu Institute. She makes it once a year during April and May from her own tea bushes and over one 24 hour period completes the production for the year.

Another unique quality at this institute is that the pan used for "frying" and finishing the tea has been made especially to Mrs Oh's specification and is made of earthenware, not the usual metal. This imparts a quality that makes this tea most special, it also requires much hard work. Exact heating is done via gas burners under the pan. With the heat concentration at the bottom center the tea is constantly rolled and moved to the cooler, outer perimeter to allow for more delicate and nuanced processing. This takes constant monitoring as each batch is slightly different in process requirements. This vigilance produces the Blue Tea of impeccable quality and delicacy of taste unachievable in other places. For details and purchase HERE.

The Puruncha Institute also has a complete philosophy and culture for tea making and tea service.

From the highly formal "Sunbee Tea Ceremony" through the "Blue Tea Ceremony" to the "Sky, Earth, People Ceremony" for close friends and family, tea is placed at the center of the Institutes life.

Classes are held in Korean (with translation available for English speakers) in Korean green, blue and deokcha tea processing, brewing and serving. Instruction in Korean tea arts of cooking, painting, ceramics and tea related crafts are also given.

Tea Total is most honored to be part of this Institute and takes English speakers with our dedicated English interpreter who has extensive knowledge of tea, to twice yearly visits and education programs.

The November tour is for an immersive, week long certificated Korean tea course at this most beautiful Institute and is taught by Mrs Oh herself, her leading senior teachers and Stephen Carroll Director of Tea Total.

For details see HERE

It is not often that I get bowled over by some new product that is is marketed as a "Tea and Something Else". We have all come across them. Green tea shampoo, tea supplements, tea fountain-of-youth-and-cancer-cures, green tea confectionery. Sometimes I even try them but the majority of the time they are rather ordinary and do not live up to their marketing hype and other times I am sadly disappointed.

Many of you contacted me about the Tea and Whisky and the Tea and Gin blogs that I wrote. Well, here is a a product that cuts out the middle man, or rather the tea pot, that I think is a great product, adds immensely to the tea repertoire and is home produced here in Australia.

LongLeaf Tea Vodka (LongLeaf is the spelling). Tea and alcohol in one bottle....what could possibly go wrong? Well, in this case, nothing...not a thing went wrong. This product is just stunning.

The tea is produced in Sri Lanka from Camellia sinesis which is orthodox processed (Pekeo/ Pekoe 1 grade) and then shipped to Australia, to the Hunter Valley to be precise, or great Australian region for wine making. The vodka is made in the Hunter Valley using the usual distillation process and is then infused with the tea. This leaves a dark, tea coloured liquor with an intense Ceylon black tea aroma.

The poured drink is dark honey to red and sparklingly bright. The nose is fresh, and refreshing, slightly heady with a density of aroma that holds a complexity of layers - rather like a port or a really good sherry - but with no cloying sweetness, only 100% aromatics - cherries, damp woodland and warm leather. Just the aroma alone causes a full mouth feel even before drinking - or is that just my expectations getting ahead of me?

Taste....well, this vodka does not loose anything from being consumed neat, with a mixer like soda water or even in a cocktail. But first let's try neat. As you would expect this is a highly volatile first sip. There is no overt "ethanol" taste, only the aromatics of the tea coating your mouth and the vodka "bite" and warmth. There is an unctuousness that is very pleasing allowing for a very long finish as the liquor heats in your mouth. There is a sweetness that is reminiscent of straight up maple syrup - the sweetener you have when you don't want sweetness. There is a definite drying that I associate with the tea rather than the vodka that causes some salivation. Here the tightness of the taste experience is of the woody, forest components.

Prefer a little soda water? Now, this becomes a standout. Just as a good Single Malt is enhanced with a little quality water, so to with LongLeaf vodka. From being an excellent compact concentrated aroma and taste, the addition of soda water expands the palate and taste profile to another level. Aroma becomes a little lighter but with more aromatic nuances. Taste is now also a little lighter but broader and complex. Sultana and raisin, oak and maple. The finish remains long, lingering and oh so satisfying. For the cocktail taste...I shall leave that for you to experiment with your favorite mixers.

From the first taste this Longleaf vodka has become a firm favorite. Add to all of this an excellent packaging design and a website that gives ideas for cocktails and location of stockists, my score 10/10. For more information and ordering go to LongLeaf VodkaPlease remember to consume alcohol responsibly. (Pictures from LongLeaf Vodka).

Traveling around the tea areas of the world I always like to have explanatory and well referenced books available to augment the knowledge I learn on the ground. For China, India, Taiwan and Japan there are publications that are available either as an e-book or as a hard copy (the excellent magazine "The Art of Tea" comes to mind). This is not so easy when it comes to teas of the Korean Peninsular. Many tea books are available in Hangeul but the English translation rates remain at near zero.

The four books that are available in English give an excellent introduction to the tea and tea culture of Korea. So, from top left of the picture here are my thoughts of the publications available.

This work is available from Seoul Selection, other good bookshops and on-line.

"Green Life with Tea", by Kim, Eui-Jung. 2007. Publisher: Design House Inc, Seoul, Republic of Korea. ISBN:89-7041-942-X. Dr Kim is the Chairwoman of the Myung Won Cultural Foundation which is one of the largest of tea culture institutes in Korea. She is also the second daughter of Myung Won, one of the people who revived Korean tea culture following the Korean war. This book is the "Coffee Table Book" of Korean tea. It is a beautiful, large format publication, with sumptuous illustrations and photographs. The content is presented as bilingual in Hangeul and English. This book contains a meditation on the work of Myung Won and the cultural aspects of tea drinking in the history of Korea, the influence of China and Japan, modern aspects of health benefits of tea and tea and food pairing. Also, the influence of the "slow food" movement is used as "slow tea". There are also chapters on a sportsman, an artist and a potter on how tea influences their lives, tea shops of note and a chapter on formal tea rites and ceremonies. This is a comprehensive work on the wider aspects of tea beautifully rendered as a personal reflection of Dr Kim's thoughts on the tea world. This book is no longer available but it is possible to buy as a second hand or an out-of-print copy from on-line bookshops.

"The Book of Korean Tea - A Guide to the History, Culture and Philosophy of Korean Tea and the Tea Ceremony." by Yang-Seok (Fred) Yoo. 2007. Publisher: Myung Won Cultural Foundation, Seoul, Republic of Korea. ISBN: 978-89-955021-2-9. As you may see there is a connection of the last book and this book via the Myung Won Cultural Foundation and Mr Yoo is indeed closely associated with Dr Kim. On the opening pages Mr Yoo states that this work was "...largely inspired by the book Myung Won Da Hwa Myung Won Tea Conversations." This book is a considered and thoughtful explanation of Korean tea and its culture. It is an attractive, larger format publication with excellent renderings of Korean tea art and photographic material. Chapters include tea history, tea processing and production, philosophy of Korean tea and various Korean tea ceremonies. There is also one of the first translations of major Korean tea classics "Dashinjeon" and "Dongdasong". This is indeed an important book for Korean tea information keeping in mind the partiality of a particular tea organisation. That said, I do not think this detracts from the contents or ethos of the author and I feel that it is a book to have in your Korean tea library. This book is available in bookshops and on-line stores.

"Korean Tea Classics by Hanjae Yi Mok and the Venerable Cho-ui." Translators and contributors Brother Anthony of Taize, Hong Kyeong-Hee and Steve D. Owyoung. 2010. Publisher: Seoul Selection, Seoul, Republic of Korea. ISBN: 978-89-91913-66-0. The second Korean tea publication by Br Anthony and Mr Hong. This is not a straight "how to" book on Korean tea but a translation of the original and early tea writings of two important Korean Tea Masters. There are references to Cho-ui and Yi Mok in the book "Korean Way of Tea" so I think this volume becomes the indispensable companion to that first book. This work requires some effort on the part of the reader that once given pays dividends. The work requires a reading of time and place for these works with reference to Korean history. Please do no think of this as an onerous task, it is one that will enhance your understanding of the place of Korean tea culture in a world perspective. It will also add to you positioning of the art and practice of a uniquely Korean cultural form. The translations are elegant and succinct and bring these two tea masters to life. The text is presented in the original Chinese script with the English translation and is aided with explanations allowing the reader to form a coherence of the time and place of these seminal texts. This is an important book for Korean tea scholars and those wanting greater insights. This book is available from Seoul Selection, other good bookshops and on-line stores.

Since my last review of Tea and Whisky people have been asking for my thoughts on Tea and Gin. This is not such a common combination as the former but is one that I have been sampling for some time. In mixing tea with gin it is necessary to think of doing this with other mixers. Some drinkers like tonic in their gin others neat, others with soda and the tea needs to compliment these choices. Experimentation will yield some fascinating combinations.

I begin with a good “all-rounder” that is easy to purchase and not too expensive.

Hendrick’s gin is a staple for the G&T set. It is a subtle flavour with no really overpowering high notes. This gin has been blended with cucumber and rose petals. You may think that this is a strange combination but it works very well on its own terms. As with all gins the mouth feel is slightly oily and here this lingers for a while allowing the taste to spread evenly across the palate. This is where secondary or retro-olfaction (the aroma you are aware of when you breathe out through your nose) is most noticeable. The rose and juniper is the prominent taste and early aroma, leading to an anise like finish and cucumber coolness.

The tea I choose is Pine Needle Green from Guilin, China. This award winning tea is made by the

For mid-range gin flavour I choose Four Pillars Australian Gin. This gin is made by a small distillery in the Yarra Valley. It is called Four Pillars because there are four pillars to the process of how they make this gin. Not unlike how tea should be made! Pillar 1. The copper still (her name is Wilma). Pillar 2. The local water from the Yarra Valley is triple filtered. Pillar 3. The ingredients. Some are classical botanicals, juniper, lavender, and angelica root. Some exotic botanicals, anise, coriander, cinnamon and cardamom. All steeped with local Australian botanicals, Tasmanian pepperberry and lemon myrtle. They also add fresh orange (rather than the usual dried peel) directly in the mix. Pillar 4. Love of the product. See, I told you it was like tea. The aroma is light and sweet with a blend of mint and bay leaf. The taste is full and spicy reminding me of the crumbs of a fruit cake and the finish is dry with a citrus and “liquorice” like confection. Four Pillars Gin can be drunk neat.

Now what tea that compliments this gin? Ujeon, Green Tea from South Gyeongsang Province,

Top of the flavour spectrum is Opihr Spiced Gin, this is a London dry gin with all that implies. But there is more. This was launched in 2013 and has become a firm favourite with drinkers. This gin is a superb example of what can be done with some homework. It is made with traditional juniper berries but then incorporates the spices that traversed the Spice Road from the Orient to London. Aroma and taste intermingle. As you sip, the powerful aroma conflates with the sensations happening on your tongue. Coriander, black pepper and what is described as Cubeb berries. As you well imagine there is a long finish and the unctuous quality, which is in all gins, means a full palate experience. The taste is like a Bollywood movie.

Which tea is up to the task of dealing with this gin? I have chosen 2012 “Pu-long” from Yuanyang County, Yunnan Province, China.

As I advised last time, please enjoy alcohol responsibly and enjoy tea whichever way you like....now, let's experiment.

"May is Korean Tea Month @ Tea Total." Order this month and receive 30% off our stocked Korean teas. Follow us as we begin our May tour of South Korean tea festivals,tea gardens, tea shops, tears and producers. We shall be on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and here.

If you wish to learn more about Korean teas join us in November for our "Certificate Program in Korean Tea Culture" HERE This immersive program will introduce you to the art and science of Korean tea. The professional certificate is awarded by the Puruncha Tea Culture & Research Institute and is taught at their training school.

As tea production is now underway in South Korea we shall be sourcing the best of Korean teas for you. All producers are known to us and produce tea of exceptional quality. As this is true artisanal tea amounts are limited and rare should you be considering a purchase please contact us as soon as possible. Most of the tea does not ever leave South Korea and is for home land consumption. All our teas will be listed in our shop when we return at the end of May. We shall keep you up to date with our travels and be sure to check in with us from time to time to see the tea we have found.