A vague origin is often a bad sign

Quality Korean tea comes from three well-identified regions: Boseong (South Jeolla Province, the most productive), Hadong (on the slopes of Mount Jiri, renowned for its century-old wild tea trees) and Jeju Island (volcanic soils, the heart of Korean matcha production). A product that merely states "South Korea" without specifying the region deserves scrutiny.

It is the equivalent of a wine that simply says "France" without mentioning the appellation. Technically honest  but insufficient to qualify a product as premium.

The grade defines quality and flavour profile

In Korea, the quality of a green tea is read through its picking date. The earlier the buds are harvested in spring, the finer the leaves and the more delicate the aromas. This grading system is one of the most reliable markers of a Korean tea's authenticity:

• Ujeon (우전)  before the grain rain, mid-April. The rarest and most delicate grade.
• Sejak (세작)  late April to early May. The benchmark grade, balanced and herbaceous.
• Jungjak (중작)  mid-May. Bolder, good value for money.
• Daejak (대작)  late May to June. Robust, often used in cooking.

A product that mentions no grade is generally an industrial blend with no terroir identity.

Korean green tea is a seasonal product

Unlike black or fermented tea, Korean green tea does not improve with age  it degrades. A first-flush Sejak should ideally be consumed within 12 months of picking, stored away from moisture and light. Freshness directly determines the vibrancy of the aromas and the softness on the palate.

In France, one of the most common problems with Korean tea sold in grocery stores is precisely the absence of a harvest date  making it impossible to know whether the leaves are 8 months or 3 years old. For matcha, this is even more critical: the powder oxidises rapidly once the pouch is opened.

Knowing who grew the tea changes everything

Quality Korean tea is often produced by small-scale artisans, sometimes third or fourth generation, who perpetuate harvesting and drying methods passed down over centuries. In Hadong in particular, some producers work by hand on plots of wild tea trees  a profile radically different from large mechanised plantations.

A serious seller knows their producers. They can name the farm, the processing method (pan-fired or steamed), sometimes even the plot. This traceability is the strongest guarantee of a tea's authenticity.

The journey from garden to cup matters

A Korean tea that passes through a general wholesaler, then a European importer, then a reseller before arriving in your order has lost far more than time along the way. Each intermediary dilutes traceability, increases storage delays and makes quality control at each stage impossible.

The shortest and most reliable circuit: an order prepared directly in the country of origin, shipped to you within a few days. This guarantees maximum freshness and a supply chain the seller controls from end to end.