50 Teas You Have to Try Before You Die
You've read our Ultimate Tea Book Bucket List and thought, wow, those guys really know how to create a tea-related bucket list, right? Well first up, it's just me, Amy, writing, so I'd like all the credit thank you, and secondly, you're absolutely correct, I am very talented at this.
Anyways, without further ado, from rare Chinese teas to volcanic wonders in Portugal, I am here to share with you 50 specialty teas that you have to try before you kick the bucket.
You're welcome <3
White Teas
1. Bai Mu Dan (White Peony, 白牡丹): A delicate white tea from Fujian Province, China, Bai Mu Dan offers a floral aroma with a subtle sweetness. Its light, golden brew is perfect for savouring slowly.
2. Silver Needle (Bai Hao Yin Zhen, 白毫銀針): One of the finest white teas in the world, Silver Needle is made from only the youngest buds. It has a silky texture and soft floral notes.
3. White Darjeeling (Silver Tips Imperial): A luxurious white tea with floral and fruity notes, grown in the foothills of the Himalayas. Darjeeling white tea is honestly so special.
4. Moonlight White (Yue Guang Bai, 月光白): A rare tea from Yunnan Province which blurs the line between white and Pu-erh teas, offering a honeyed and floral taste. Our broken silver farmer creates the tastiest version of this - DM us and we'll send you a taster for free!
Green Teas
5. Genmaicha: A classic, this is Japanese green tea mixed with toasted rice. The flavour is sweet, roasted, nutty, and originates in 1900s Kyoto when a tea farmer blended roasted brown rice with Bancha green tea to make tea accessible for his whole village. It is one of the first teas we ever tried, and you absolutely have to taste it!
6. Bi Luo Chun (Snail Spring, 碧螺春): This curly, snail-shaped green tea from Jiangsu Province boasts fruity and floral flavours. Its tightly rolled leaves unfurl beautifully in hot water, and it's another one of our favourites.
7. Dragon Well (Long Jing, 龍井): Arguably the most famous Chinese green tea, Longjing has a distinctive chestnut flavour with a smooth, clean finish. Previously, it was often served to foreign dignitaries as a symbol of Chinese hospitality, and Mao Zedong reportedly drank it regularly.
8. Gyokuro (玉露): A Japanese shade-grown green tea, Gyokuro has a rich umami flavour and is prized for its deep green colour.
9. Sencha (煎茶): The most popular tea in Japan, Sencha has a grassy, slightly astringent flavour.
10. Matcha (Ceremonial Grade, obviously): This powdered Japanese green tea has a rich, creamy flavour and is used in traditional tea ceremonies. It was refined in Japan during the 12th century after Zen monk Eisai (the inspiration behind our name) brought powdered tea practices from China.
11. Hojicha (焙じ茶): A roasted Japanese green tea with a warm, toasty flavour and low caffeine content. You'll find this in every single tea house in Japan, often offered for free.
12. Mao Feng (毛峰): Grown in Huangshan (literally meaning Yellow Mountain), this Chinese green tea has a fresh, floral aroma and a smooth taste.
13. Anji Bai Cha (安吉白茶): A rare green tea, despite the word "Bai" (白) meaning "white" in its name. The name comes from the pale colour of its young leaves, but it is processed as a green tea, resulting in a delicate, mellow flavour and a creamy texture.
14. Korean Nokcha (녹차): A vibrant green tea from Korea with a nutty, slightly sweet flavour. You don't tend to hear a lot about Korean teas, but we think that's a shame because they're actually really delicious.
15. Yellow Mountain Fur Peak (Huang Shan Mao Feng, 黃山毛峰): A top-tier green tea from Anhui Province with a floral aroma and a refreshing, sweet taste.
16. Snow Dragon (Xue Long, 雪龍): A rare Chinese green tea with a creamy texture and subtle sweetness. We like the name.
17. Snow Sprout (Xue Ya, 雪芽): A delicate Chinese tea with a sweet, refreshing taste.
18. Azores Green Tea (Chá Verde dos Açores): Grown on the volcanic soil of Portugal’s Azores (yes, you read that right!), this tea has a fresh, slightly mineral profile.
Oolong Teas
19. Tie Guan Yin (Iron Goddess of Mercy, 鐵觀音): This famous Chinese oolong tea from Fujian Province has floral and creamy notes, with a naturally sweet aftertaste. Fun fact: the Eisa Tea Co. founder (that's me, teehee) has a Guan Yin tattoo.
20. Buddha’s Hand Oolong (Fo Shou, 佛手): Named after the fragrant citrus fruit, this oolong is infused with zesty citrus flavours, offering a bright and refreshing brew. Plus, it looks a little like the Buddha's hand (probably).
21. Dong Ding Oolong (凍頂烏龍): Grown in Taiwan, Dong Ding has a complex flavour profile with hints of caramel, stone fruit, and floral undertones. We actually have this tea in our Taiwanese Tea Collection.
22. Da Hong Pao (Big Red Robe, 大紅袍): A legendary Wuyi Mountain oolong with a bold, roasted flavour and a hint of minerals. We think it tastes a little like chocolate.
23. Oriental Beauty (Dong Fang Mei Ren, 東方美人): This Taiwanese oolong has a honey-like sweetness and fruity undertones, and is one of the most famous teas on the island for good reason.
24. Milk Oolong (Jin Xuan, 金萱): Famous for its creamy, buttery flavour, this oolong is a favourite among tea enthusiasts. Just be aware that most Western brands artificially flavour their milk oolong :(
25. Phoenix Dan Cong (Single Bush, 鳳凰單樅): A fragrant oolong from Guangdong Province with tropical fruit and floral notes. Another one with a cool name.
26. Gaba Oolong (伽馬烏龍): A health-focused oolong rich in GABA, known for its calming effects. This is actually the only tea on this list that we haven't tried.
Black Teas
27. Golden Eyebrow (Jin Jun Mei, 金駿眉): One of the most prestigious black teas from China’s Wuyi Mountains, Golden Eyebrow features complex caramel, malt, and floral notes with a silky texture. Plus, it looks like a literal golden eyebrow.
28. Darjeeling First Flush: Known as the “Champagne of Teas,” Darjeeling First Flush offers a bright, floral, and slightly astringent flavour profile.
29. Keemun (祁門紅茶): A Chinese black tea with a smoky, chocolatey flavour and floral aroma.
30. Lapsang Souchong (正山小種): Famous for its distinctive smoky flavour, this black tea is an acquired taste. The higher the quality, the better the taste - we think that low quality lapsang souchong tastes a little like burnt tires or tobacco.
31. Yunnan Golden Tips (滇紅金芽): A smooth and sweet black tea with hints of honey and chocolate from China’s Yunnan Province. It's just chef's kiss.
32. Nilgiri Black Tea: Known for its smooth, fragrant flavour, this Indian tea is excellent both hot and iced.
33. Golden Monkey (金猴茶): A rare Chinese black tea with complex notes of cocoa, malt, and honey. 10/10 name once again.
34. Welsh Grown Black Tea: An emerging speciality with a malty, floral profile grown in the lush Welsh countryside, everyone's favourite place (obviously). There's only one woman that produces this, so big up Lucy <3
Pu-erh Teas
35. Sheng Pu-erh (Raw Pu-erh, 生普洱): Aged over time, Sheng Pu-erh develops earthy, fruity, and sometimes smoky notes. A bad one tastes like fish.
36. Shou Pu-erh (Ripe Pu-erh, 熟普洱): This fermented Pu-erh has a rich, dark flavour with hints of cocoa and wood. Of course, the very best shou pu-erh is our broken silver, made by the Yu Family <3
37. Lao Ban Zhang Pu-erh (老班章): Highly sought after, this Pu-erh from Yunnan Province is known for its powerful, complex flavour.
38. Bulang Mountain Pu-erh (布朗山普洱): A bold and earthy Pu-erh with a lingering sweetness.
39. Yiwu Pu-erh (易武普洱): Smooth and mellow, this Pu-erh is prized for its balanced flavour profile. We could probably drink this one all day every day.
Yellow Teas
40. Jun Shan Yin Zhen (君山銀針): Yellow teas really aren't that popular, but if you want to try them, we recommend this rare and prestigious yellow tea from Hunan Province which has a sweet, mellow flavour.
41. Huo Shan Huang Ya (霍山黃芽): Grown in Anhui Province, this yellow tea has a smooth, slightly nutty flavour.
42. Meng Ding Huang Ya (蒙頂黃芽): A traditional yellow tea with a fresh, floral aroma and a sweet finish. We think it's necessary to try it, but if you brew it for too long, it will 100% make your eyes water.
Rare and Unique Teas
43. Purple Tea (Kenya): A rare tea variety derived from a special Camellia sinensis cultivar with high anthocyanin levels, giving the leaves a distinctive purple hue. It has a fruity, floral flavour with a mild astringency and is prized for its potent antioxidants (allegedly, we've never done any research into this).
44. Wild Tea from Laos: Harvested from ancient wild trees, this tea has a unique earthy and floral flavour. We think it tastes a little like shou pu-erh.
45. Rock Tea (Yancha, 岩茶): Grown in the rocky terrain of Wuyi Mountains, this tea has a distinct mineral flavour. It's a tea that you'll either love or hate, there is no in-between.
46. Bamboo Leaf Aged Tea: Tea leaves aged in bamboo, imparting a smoky, woody flavour. Not the best quality most of the time, but still something to try.
47. Cloud Tea (Yun Wu, 雲霧茶): Grown at high altitudes, this tea has a fresh, dewy taste. Plus, the name is cute.
48. White Monkey Tea (Bai Mao Hou, 白毛猴): A unique green tea with curled leaves and a sweet, refreshing taste.
49. Goishicha (碁石茶): A rare Japanese fermented tea produced in Kochi Prefecture, named after its resemblance to Go game stones. It undergoes a two-step fermentation process, first with fungi and then with lactic acid bacteria, giving it a distinctive sour and earthy flavour. It was actually once on the brink of extinction so is still a little difficult to find.
50. Alishan Tea (阿里山茶): Yes, this is technically an oolong tea, but it's one of the best teas out there and deserves to be the ultimate one in this list <3 Anyways, Alishan is a high-mountain Taiwanese oolong prized for its floral, creamy, and lightly fruity notes, with a naturally sweet aftertaste and a smooth, velvety texture. We also feature this one in our Taiwanese Tea Collection.
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So there we have it, 50 (I think) absolutely fantastic teas that you simply must try before you exit from this earth. How many have you tried off so far? 👀
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