Mastering the chasen: how to use and care for your matcha whisk

Your chasen does more work than it looks like. Hand-carved from a single piece of bamboo, its tines curved inward by heat and tension to create the even foam that makes a properly whisked matcha so distinct.

Treat it well and it keeps rewarding you. Here's how.

How to make an iced matcha latte

Creamy milk, earthy matcha, plenty of ice. It's all over every café menu for good reason and with a few simple tools, you can make a better one at home.

What makes iced matcha different

An iced matcha latte starts the same way as a hot one: matcha whisked with a small amount of hot water until it's smooth and frothy. The difference is what happens next. Whisking it strong matters, because it's what stops the flavour disappearing once ice and cold milk go in and the drink turns cold. Matcha is made from whole, stone-ground tea leaves rather than steeped ones, so you're getting more caffeine than a standard cup of tea, along with the natural L-theanine that keeps the energy steady rather than sharp.

Why make it at home

Made at home, it takes a few minutes and a handful of tools: a bowl, a whisk and a sieve to stop the powder clumping. You also get to choose your own milk and how sweet it is, which is more control than most café versions give you. Here's the method we use, along with the tools that make it easiest to get right.

Try it with our flavoured matchas

The same method works with any of our flavoured matchas, not just the original. Raspberry Matcha brings a fruity tartness that cuts through the milk, White Chocolate Matcha leans sweeter and more dessert-like, Peach Matcha keeps things bright and juicy, and Salted Matcha Milkshake is about as close to an actual milkshake as you'll get from a tin of matcha. Whisk whichever one you choose the same way, then build the iced latte exactly as below.

3-5 minutes

Ingredients

T2 100% Certified Organic Matcha
100ml of 70–80°C water
150ml milk of your choice
Sweetener, if using
Ice

Tools

Bamboo scoop (chashaku)
Matcha bowl (chawan)
Matcha whisk (chasen)
Fine-mesh sieve
Tall glass

Method

1. Add 1 scoop (roughly 1–2g) of matcha to your bowl. If you have a small sieve, sift it through first, this prevents clumping and gives you a smoother result.
2. Pour in 100ml of 80°C water. Using the M whisking technique, whisk firmly with quick back-and-forth wrist movements for at least 20 seconds, until you have a smooth, frothy paste with no lumps.
3. Pour the matcha over ice in a tall glass, add your sweetener of choice, then top with cold milk.
4. Give it a good stir, and drink it before the ice melts and dilutes the matcha.