Our Story

from family meals to misty mountains

In our Vietnamese American home in Orange County, California, everything revolves around food.

Birthdays meant steaming bowls of beef phở or bún bò Huế. Thanksgiving meant turkey and egg rolls. And no gathering was complete without a pot of tea to end the meal.

One afternoon, the tea was different — not the usual box from the pantry, but fragrant leaves carried back from Vietnam.

That one sip inspired us to visit Vietnam's misty central highlands — the country’s quiet tea capital, where red volcanic soil (born of ancient lava fields) and mountain air shape world-class tea leaves.

There, among the farmers, tea fields, and mountain mist, we discovered Oolong Matcha — an innovation ready to make its mark on the world of matcha.

Image: Thirty-four hours, three flights, hundreds of kilometers of winding roads, and ten unforgettable days — all to reach the misty volcanic highlands of Vietnam, where we met the farmers shaping the future of Misty Lava.

the world’s first oolong matcha

Traditionally, matcha is made from shaded green tea. But in Vietnam’s misty central highlands, farmers dared to reimagine tradition — taking naturally creamy oolong cultivars, shading them with the time-honored care of Japanese matcha, and milling them with Japanese precision to create something entirely new.

When we first tasted it, we knew we had found something worth sharing with the world. 🍵 Oolong Matcha: creamy, complex, and unlike anything we’ve ever experienced.

That was the beginning of Misty Lava — born from a shared curiosity and a belief that great tea connects people across cultures. 

our commitment to quality

Today, every tin reflects meticulous craftsmanship and close partnerships with small-scale farmers. Each batch is:

• Hand-picked “top bud, two leaves” — the finest, sweetest part of the tea plant, selected for ceremonial quality

• Shade-grown for 21 days — enhances L-theanine, deepens natural sweetness, and yields a naturally vibrant green color

• Cold-stored at 5 °C (41 °F) — preserves peak freshness, aroma, and nutrient integrity before milling

• Freshly milled, oxygen-sealed & independently tested — verified for freshness, antioxidants, L-theanine, and catechins, with no detectable pesticides, heavy metals, preservatives, or toxins

This careful process protects matcha’s natural purity, bright green color, and smooth, creamy taste — honoring Japan’s monozukuri spirit while celebrating Vietnam’s terroir and creative expression.

We’re honored to share this journey — and this tea — with you.