Diancha is not matcha (well, not as we normally think of it). That is, it is not made from shade-grown tea leaves. Rather, it is referred to as "White Matcha," as it is made from white tea leaves.

Diancha was the popular form of tea during the Song Dynasty, when the first Japanese monks visited China and tasted tea for the first time. It was made from a sort of dehydrated tea leaf pulp, as the major categories of tea did not yet exist. Given that white tea is the simplest tea to process, most agree that it is the closest we can get to the sort of base tea they would have been using in the 11th and 10th centuries.

Diancha fell out of fashion when loose leaf tea became popular, but now, a few people with mills are trying to bring it back, ourselves included!

It is unlike any other tea we've tasted. It is bright, citrusy, almost tangy. We make ours from a relatively green white tea, which really plays up the fruity character of this tea. It also has a different sort of energy compared to matcha. Whereas matcha is mellow and smooth from all the L-Theanine, Diancha is very energizing and even a little blissful (your mileage may vary on that front), while still being jitter-free!

The base tea for our Diancha is organically grown in Fuding county, Fujian Prefecture. This is probably the most famous place for white tea production in China.

As with our matchas, our Diancha is milled-to-order by us in Minneapolis. This guarantees the highest percentage of aromatic compounds and antioxidants, as well as a smoother matcha.