You'll see "ceremonial grade" slapped on every tin, and it sounds fancy. But it's not a regulated label. There's no USDA or FDA definition for matcha grades. It's essentially a marketing term that suggests "good enough to drink straight." That's it.

So don't let the label drive your decision. Two tins can both say "ceremonial grade" and be wildly different in quality. One might be a fine powder with a sweet finish, the other a bitter, dull powder that's better off in a latte.

Instead of chasing the grade, look at the specifics: where it's from, when it was harvested, and how it's processed. That's the real info.