Shop Teas Tea Type

Ti Quan Yin is one of China's most celebrated oolong styles, and within that tradition, the term "Nong" marks a specific approach: a darker, heavier roast applied to the finished leaves, distinct from the lighter "Qing" style. This roasting is done over charcoal, driving out moisture and concentrating the tea's character in a way that changes it fundamentally from its greener counterpart.

Central Fujian Province is the heartland of Ti Quan Yin production, and the traditional darker style has been made there for generations, prized for the depth it develops over the roasting process. The result is a medium-bodied cup built for those who find the greener Ti Quan Yin styles too delicate. It holds up well to multiple steepings, with the roasted qualities mellowing gradually as the caramelized florals come forward.

This tea comes from the Wazuka Valley in Kyoto Prefecture, Japan, and is made by Mr. Wataru. He is a promising young farmer in Wazuka, located on the opposite ridge from where Matsuda, another of our favorite Japanese tea growers, produces tea. Wataru-san is a college graduate that applies novel approaches to making tea, blending Japanese tradition with modern methods. This Guricha is made from the short-period shaded Saemidori cultivar, which has a strong umami. To preserve this feature, he’s opted to omit the last step in traditional sencha making, rolling, which can increase the body of the tea but reduce its umami. The recommendation from Mr. Wataru is to enjoy two steepings. The first is refreshing with vegetal notes, whereas the second will become much more bold.

Guricha (steamed curly tea) is a kind of Japanese green tea found mainly in Kyushu, the southern island of Japan. Guricha follows a lot of the same processing that Sencha does, except for the last rolling, which is how most Senchas acquire their needle-like shape. This last rolling’s purpose is to damage the structure of the tea leaf, so without this process, Guricha has a lighter taste to it than standard Senchas.

Namring—just the name brings back memories of great teas over many years. Sadly, they have struggled the last few years. However, they are mounting a comeback. So we are happy to support them. In 2025, Darjeeling suffered great losses, so we are eager to receive this crop.

This tea is made in late spring, when plants harness the sun's energy and begin growing. This tea is from the Upper Namring, where the best plants and conditions are found. This is not a muscatel Darjeeling, so it’s a treat to add something so unique to our lineup.

Beginning on August 27, 2026, Elyse Harney has committed 50% of sales of Nepalese and Darjeeling teas to the Nepalese Red Cross via the American Red Cross.

Our Culinary Matcha, sourced from Japan, is the perfect addition to your baking and cooking. This culinary-grade matcha adds a delicate and flavorful touch to your dishes, elevating them to a new level of sophistication. Add something unique to your menu today by using our matcha in your culinary and libation creations.

Make sure to check out all our Matcha teas!

Da Yu Lin comes from the high mountain (Gao Shan) growing areas of Taiwan, near the more famous Li Shan region. At these elevations, cool temperatures and frequent mountain mists slow the growth of the tea plants, concentrating the character of the leaf and producing the bright, layered profile that Taiwan's high mountain oolongs are known for. Like its neighbors in the central mountain range, this tea is rolled into tight balls, a hallmark of the ball-rolled oolong tradition that traveled to Taiwan from southern Fujian Province, China. That processing lets the leaves open gradually, so the tea rewards several steepings, each one drawing out a little more from the leaf. A worthy choice for anyone drawn to the high mountain style.

This tea consists solely of pure golden tips, resulting in a lighter and sweeter flavor compared to most Assams. It is lightly rolled to preserve the tips. With this technique, there is limited oxidation, making the tea less brisk. Natural sweetness in this tea comes from the tips (or the buds) because the plants send extra sugars there to make more leaves. Mokalbari Tea Estate has exclusively provided our 2026 supply of Assam Golden Tips at our request.

Emeric Harney visited the tea estates of Nepal a few years ago and we have been beefing up our offerings ever since. This is reminiscent of a nice Second Flush Darjeeling from neighboring India.

Beginning on August 27, 2026, Elyse Harney has committed 50% of sales of Nepalese and Darjeeling teas to the Nepalese Red Cross via the American Red Cross.

In 2026, we visited our friend at Tong Lu, a garden in Zhejiang Province built around the well-regarded Jiukeng cultivar, a plant that has thrived in this part of eastern China for decades. The growers there are producing both green and black teas, and the care they bring to both is precisely the kind of quiet, purposeful craft that makes these sourcing trips worthwhile.

The Jiukeng cultivar gives Tong Lu Green a character that sits comfortably in the gentler end of the Chinese green spectrum: light-bodied, low in briskness, and easy to return to cup after cup.

The twisted leaves, a mix of bright and dark green, brew into a soft lima bean liquor that's almost translucent in the light. The aroma leans fresh and cool, like sliced cucumber on a warm afternoon, and the flavor follows through with that same garden character: cucumbers, a hint of zucchini, clean and easy on the palate.

Our Organic Matcha comes from the southern island of Kyushu in the area around Kagoshima, Japan. It is certified organic by the USDA. It is harvested in the early spring and thus has high levels of umami, though not as high as our Jobetsugi and other ceremonial grades. Organic Matcha can be consumed by itself or as a latte. Iced or hot, it’s your call!

Make sure to check out all our Matcha teas!

Our friends at Puttabong have done an impressive job with this tea. Puttabong is one of the most respected estates in Darjeeling, located north of Darjeeling town on terrain that climbs from 457 to 1,920 meters above sea level and is managed by Jayshree Tea. The dramatic elevation range provides the garden with a rare versatility, and this crop, made from its China-Assam hybrid cultivar, typically exhibits more body and warmth than what is usual for the first flush style, featuring a toasty warmth that softens the typical briskness. This harvest came in over two days, March 19th and 20th, when the season's earliest new growth was hitting its stride. Tropical fruit and floral notes lift the aroma, while the cup delivers that same tropical fruit character alongside a gentle almond-like nuttiness.

For those who enjoy our Teesta Valley 1st Flush, Puttabong offers a slightly fuller, more settled expression from the same classic first flush season.

Beginning on August 27, 2026, Elyse Harney has committed 50% of sales of Nepalese and Darjeeling teas to the Nepalese Red Cross via the American Red Cross.

Our Decaffeinated Chai delivers the bold, warming flavor you love with none of the caffeine. We start with smooth decaffeinated black tea and layer in a classic blend of chai spices: cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, and clove. Rich, aromatic, and deeply comforting, it’s the perfect choice for winding down or sipping any time of day.

Ever since Mike visited the Fenghuang mountains in southern China, he has had a weak spot for the Milan oolongs. Each year we look to find great-tasting oolongs from this area that are reminiscent of a ripe peach.

Turmeric is used to add warm flavor to any savory dish or bakery delight. We offer a Turmeric Powder to add to your ingredient list as you become a master at the kitchen stove.

Not all silver tips are created equal. While our Ceylon Vintage Silver Tips is plucked with surgical precision from cultivated tea bushes, Artisanal Ceylon Argent comes from a wilder place entirely, the highland forests of Sri Lanka, where tea grows on towering trees that reach up to 40 feet tall.

The tea is made by our friend Buddika at his small factory in Ratnapura. Buddika was born and raised in Kandy, Sri Lanka, and spent 17 years as a trainee tea planter before striking out on his own to produce artisanal teas by hand. His skilled artisans carefully pluck and process each bud, and you can see the difference: these are rustic, large silver buds with a character that no machine could replicate. In the cup, the difference is just as clear. Where traditional silver tips are delicate, this tea brings a rich, maple-sap sweetness with complexity that lingers on the palate, evoking the untamed essence of the forests where it's grown. It is one of the purest expressions of what tea can be when the plant, the place, and the maker are all extraordinary.

Green Gulou arrives in the cup quietly. The dry leaves, twisted into silvery-green curls, open into a pale green liquor that's almost translucent in the light. There's nothing aggressive here. This is a tea that asks you to slow down and pay attention.

The aroma is subtly savory, reminiscent of steamed zucchini, and the flavor mirrors the scent with a clean, vegetable-forward greenness typical of a well-crafted Chinese green. Think tender bok choy, lightly steamed, with no bitterness and very little astringency. The body is light, the briskness minimal, and the overall impression is one of restraint done right.

To the east of Darjeeling is the Teesta Valley, named after the nearby Teesta River that flows from the Himalayas. This is a second flush Darjeeling, so from late spring, when the plants start to grow again. The tea is allowed to fully oxidize and turn brown. Muscatel flavors develop when plants are infested with leafhoppers, prompting them to produce a repellent that tastes like muscat grapes. Of course, the bugs are not included in this delicious brew.

In 2025, Darjeeling suffered great losses, so we are eager to receive this crop.

Beginning on August 27, 2026, Elyse Harney has committed 50% of sales of Nepalese and Darjeeling teas to the Nepalese Red Cross via the American Red Cross.