UK DELIVERY / CLICK & COLLECT
UK DELIVERY / CLICK & COLLECT
Black teas are the most popular teas in the UK. There is a huge range of black teas including the stronger style English Breakfast blended teas, as well as classic teas like Earl Grey, Darjeeling, Ceylon Orange Pekoe, and the deeply smoked Lapsang Souchong.
Although its traditional in the UK to drink black tea with milk, many single estate and lighter style black teas are best enjoyed without milk to better experience their individual character & flavour.
To create black tea the tea leaves are harvested, withered, and processed in a way that encourages the leaves to oxidise. This process is speeded up by 'damaging' the cell structure of the leaf through techniques such as chopping, rolling, and crushing. Oxidation changes the colour of the processed tea leaves from green to black / brown, and typically enables the tea leaves to infuse more readily and to develop stronger & deeper flavours when brewed.
Explore our extensive range of distinctive black teas including our own blend strong Welsh Breakfast tea (Brecwast Cymreig), First & Second Flush Darjeeling teas, easy drinking Tippy and Orange Pekoe teas, or a Malty Assam. You'll also discover characterful teas such as Nilgiri Winter Frost, or our exceptional Golden Monkey.
Green teas have been enjoyed in China for well over 1000 years. The Chinese developed the technique for creating green tea by heating the leaves immediately after harvesting and withering. Heating the leaves is achieved in various ways, such as the dry-heat method used in China to create Long Jing tea by pan-drying the leaves in a large wok.
In Japan, the process and rituals of preparing and drinking tea has developed over centuries into the 'Japanese Tea Ceremony' which is famous around the world.
The finest Japanese green teas such as Matcha are produced from plants that are shade-grown. In Japan the leaves are heated using a mechanised steaming process which typically produces high quality leaves that retain a deep green colour and unique flavour profiles.
Heating the leaves after withering kills the enzymes within the leaf and this prevents oxidation taking place. The leaves then undergo further processing to develop their unique flavour profiles but due to the lack of oxidation they retain their green colour. Green teas are packed with antioxidants and are enjoyed for the bright and refreshing taste.
A good brewing technique is essential to enjoy green tea without bitterness, but don't worry, it's not complicated. Green teas are delicious, and all our teas have clear brewing instructions on the packet. Just don't brew them like black tea!
Our range includes classic green teas from China, such as Long Jing, Green Silvery Snail, and Xinyang Mao Jian, and fine quality teas from Japan such as Sencha Satsuma, Hojicha, Kukicha, Bancha, and Matcha. Or why not try our easy drinking own blend Tea Traders Green Tea (Te Gwyrdd)
White teas originate in China and are highly prized for their purity and delicate yet complex flavour profiles. Great care is taken to harvest the finest leaves and buds to prevent damage and bruising to the leaves. The aim is to maintain the high quality of the fresh leaves and buds in their natural state and to prevent / minimise any risk of oxidation occurring before the leaves are dried and packaged.
The leaves / buds undergo very light withering, before air drying and packaging.
The absence of further processing used to create other teas is what gives White Tea their delicate flavours and unique character.
Just like with fine wines, the pleasure of drinking white tea comes from letting the tea rest on your palate before swallowing so that the subtle flavours can be fully contemplated and experienced.
Due to the purity and simplicity of White teas and the ritualistic nature of drinking them and savouring their flavours they are highly suited to drinking via the Chinese Gong Fu Brewing method whereby the cleansing process of preparing and drinking the tea encourages peace, mindfulness and contemplation.
Western style brewing is also possible and white teas are well worth trying if you enjoy light, delicate flavours. They are also a good option as part of a Heath & Wellbeing Detox.
Leaves can be re-infused multiple times.
Our range includes famous white teas such as Silver Needles and Pai Mu Tan 'White Peony', as well as novelty Blooming teas / Flowering teas, and the highly fragrant Jasmine Dragon Pearls
Oolong teas are semi-oxidised and in simple terms sit somewhere between green and black teas, however, the creation of Oolong teas involves many small but crucial stages and is surprisingly complex and labour intensive. Oolongs originated in Taiwan and in the history of tea they are a relatively recent innovation. The main regions of production are located in Taiwan and Fujian province in Southern China.
Production centres around small scale farms and artisan workshops where Oolong tea masters take great care to process the leaves in a way that develop unique teas with great character and intriguing complexity.
Oolong teas are suitable for multiple infusions and are ideal for Gong-fu brewing.
Our range of Oolong teas includes delicious high-quality teas with surprising flavour profiles.
If you haven't tasted Oolong tea yet why not explore our range including our wonderfully floral Iron Goddess of Mercy, and premium quality Oriental Beauty.
Fermented tea typically has a strong, deep, woody and earthy flavour profile. It has been consumed for generations due to its pleasant (but acquired) taste and it's dietary health benefits.
Fermented teas is thought to originate from Puerh in Yunnan Province, South-West China. The town of Pu-erh is the start of the ancient 'Tea Horse Road' trading route whereby tea and other goods were transported for centuries by pack-horse along ancient trading routes through North-West China to Tibet. It is thought that the packed tea leaves fermented naturally during the long journey and this helped preserve them and allowed the teas to develop the characteristic flavour profiles. The tea merchants discovered a ready market for these fermented teas and started adapting their processing methods to create fermented tea for sale in a variety of formats including compacted 'tea-cakes' that were easier to transport and could also be used for barter and exchange with other goods along the trading routes. The traders themselves would drink the tea as a way to supplement their poor diet along the journey.
Nowadays the majority of fermented teas are referred to simply as Puerh.
There are two forms of Puerh tea: Sheng Puerh, and Shou Puerh. Sheng Puerh is naturally fermented and aged and the flavours mature and improve over time. This tea is highly prized and can sell for high prices. Shou Puerh is fermented more quickly under factory conditions and is widely available at a more affordable price. Shou Puerh is intended for drinking immediatley, whereas the flavour and complexity of Sheng Puerh develops and improves with age.
In addition to Shou Puerh, our range includes other fermented teas such as the famous Chinese Fu Tea which contains a probiotic fungus called Eurotium Cristatum that scientific research has shown to be beneficial to human digestion and gut health.
Discover our wide range of herbal, fruit, and caffeine-free infusions, including Rooibos, Honeybush, Mint, and many others ...
All over the world people have discovered a wealth of plants that are available in their local regions and are suitable for making into hot and cold drinks. The art of processing tea leaves to make a hot beverage was first discovered in China, and spread across Asia into India, and eventually Worldwide. Similarly the technique of roasting, processing and drinking Coffee beans has spread from Ethiopia & Yemen across the world.
In Europe communities have processed and blended their native herbs, fruits, and other plants to produce a range of infusions that have been enjoyed for their taste and health benefits. Examples include Mint tea, Chamomile, and Raspberry leaf, but there are many others...
Elsewhere in the World other native plants have been used, including Ayurvedic Spices in India, Rooibos (Red-bush), and Honeybush in South Africa, and Yerba Mate in South America.
If you are seeking out interesting herbal and fruit infusions you may like to try two traditional 'herbal teas' that are made by our friends Jim & Sally. They produce small batches of Birch leaf Tea (Which originates from Iceland), and Te Ifan / Ivan's Tea ... an intriguing herbal infusion from Siberia made from the leaves and flowers of Rosebay Willow herb. Both of these 'artisan herbal teas' are produced using plants gathered from their managed woodland and small-holding here in Carmarthenshire. They are available from our website in limited quantities.
In addition to single herbal infusions our range includes specially blended herbal infusions intended to help promote health and wellbeing. Examples include: Good Digestion, Good Mood & Memory, and Good Night blends.
... And don't forget to check out our range of popular fruit infusions including: Berry Burst, Lemon & Ginger, Elderflower & Lemon, and Turmeric & Pumpkin.
Our Tea Discovery System makes it easy to explore our range of loose leaf teas and discover new teas that you will enjoy.
Look out for the Tea Discovery Icon on each tea packet.
Discovery Level 1: Easy drinking teas, and a great place to start if you are new to the world of loose leaf tea and not sure what to choose. You'll find Level 1 teas across our range, including traditional black teas that taste great with milk or without, but also well flavoured green teas, fruit and herbal infusions.
Discovery Level 2: Ready to explore and broaden your tea horizons? Our interesting selection of delicious Level 2 teas offers teas with more distinctive character and flavour profiles. Including less common teas and exclusive own-blends.
Discovery Level 3: Feeling adventurous? If you're seeking out rare or unusual teas, including fine teas with unique flavour and character, you'll find some of the worlds most highly prized teas in our range of teas at Level 3.
Use our Tea Discovery System to explore our range of fine quality loose leaf teas and find new teas to enjoy at Levels 1, 2, & 3
If you're curious to discover more about the intriguing world of loose leaf tea why not treat yourself to a copy of our e-book Life Is Better With Tea! ...
Our 100 page guide to how to select, brew, and enjoy loose leaf tea is the perfect companion to your journey of tea discovery.
Whether you've just started exploring the different categories of tea, or you're an adventurous tea drinker seeking to expand your horizons, our tea book provides an easy to read introduction to the fascinating world of tea.
Available to purchase and download from our webstore now ... £12.50
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