We completely renewed and improved our premium whole leaf tea section. We have expanded our selection to ten of the most popular green and black teas - all with new lower prices. Most are USDA certified organic and many are Fair Trade Certified. Fair Trade certification identifies teas produced by gardens and cooperatives in tea production. Fair Trade guarantees fair wages and decent working conditions and promotes the use of sustainable farming methods.
Remember, we sell all our herbs and tea by weight: you can buy a half an ounce or a pound, whatever you like. And we have all the necessary brewing accessories and instructions for making you a great cup of tea. Here are your choices:
Black Teas
Black Teas are produced by withering, rolling and drying fresh tea leaves. This process oxidizes the leaf and allows many unique aroma and flavor elements to form. The robustness of black tea lends itself to the addition of sugar, honey, lemon, cream and milk. While black teas have more caffeine than green or white teas, they still have considerably less than you would get in a cup of coffee. Our black teas come directly from the key tea-growing regions of the world, including China, India, Sri Lanka and Nepal.
Darjeeling (Fancy Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe)
USDA Organic, Fair Trade Certified
I love the name of this smooth and elegant bright tea. Brewed correctly the flavor is slightly dry with a light body. Darjeeling is regarded as the champagne of black teas. This complex, very flavorful and aromatic tea is ideal for an afternoon tea.
Irish Breakfast
USDA Organic, Fair Trade Certified
This is a blend of black teas having a full, robust flavor with malty undertones. Slightly bolder than English Breakfast tea and more well-rounded, this full-bodied breakfast tea is meant to be enjoyed with milk and sweetener.
Earl Grey
USDA Organic, Fair Trade Certified
The best known of the scented teas, this slightly dry, medium bodied black tea has a hint of bergamot oil giving it wonderful orange flavors. Named for the Earl who had it blended especially for him.
Green Teas
Green tea is uncured and possesses fresh, grassy, vegetal flavors due to the unique processing. Green tea leaves are plucked, withered, rolled and dried before any curing or oxidation takes place. Green teas have the least caffeine of all true teas.
Bancha
USDA Organic
A less costly alternative to the higher-grade Sencha, this tea is more astringent and has a more robust flavor characterized as grassy, slightly dry, with a medium body.
Dragonwell
USDA Organic
Dragonwell is a brothy green tea with a light medium body and slightly dry in flavor. The vegetal flavor of Dragonwell has nuances of roasted chestnut which is especially refreshing when sipped throughout the day.
Gunpowder (Special Pin Head)
The leaves are rolled into little pellets that look like gunpowder. The pellets unfurl and ‘bloom’ in the cup. Gunpowder is rich in flavor, very brothy, green, slighty smokey with a light body.
Young Hyson
USDA Organic
This tea has been compared to a forest after a spring rain. An aroma and flavor that is earthy and wild, yet delicate, this tea is very dry with a light body. It’s delicious hot or iced.
Jasmine Tea
USDA Organic, Fair Trade Certified
This is a green tea scented with organic jasmine flowers. After curing, the dried green tea leaves are spread out with successive layers of fresh jasmine flowers. The tea absorbs the exotic fragrance and yields nicely in the cup, making this tea a sensual pleasure to drink. Classified as quite dry with a medium body and floral overtones.
Ooolong Tea
Oolong is only partially oxidized after the fresh leaves are plucked and withered. Before the leaves are fully cured, a quick drying preserves the flavor and aroma elements of the green leaf and combines them with black tea characteristics that arise from the partial curing. Oolong has slightly less caffeine than black tea, but slightly more than green teas.
Se Chung Special Oolong
USDA Organic
A woody astringency and the nuance of fresh peaches distinguish the remarkable aroma and flavor of this tea. Brothy with a light body, Oolong is also referred to by its Chinese pinyin translation “Wu Long”.
White Tea
White tea is made from the very young, unfurled leaf tips of Camellia sinensis. White tea is the least processed of all teas and is steamed immediately after picking to prevent any oxidation of the leaves. The delicate young leaves and buds are covered with soft, silvery white hairs, hence the name white tea. White teas are generally uncured in the style of green teas and are similarly low in caffeine.
Indian White Tea
USDA Organic, Fair Trade Certified
This special, hand-selected tea contains silvery-white unopened leaf tips. This particular tea is very smooth with delicate floral notes. Golden liquor in a light body, this is a truly pleasant and drinkable tea.
General Brewing Instructions
Black teas
1 tsp. of loose tea per cup. Pour simmering water (185 degrees F) over the tea and steep 4 to 5 minutes.
Green teas
1 tsp. of loose tea per cup. Pour simmering water (170 degrees F) over the tea and steep 3 to 4 minutes.
Come in and pick up your favorite today!
