We use only leaf tea as we believe this gives a far cleaner taste than tea bags, whether they are the standard bleached paper type or any of the newer constructions now available. We stock over 50 different teas including many varieties of black, green, white and herbal - probably the widest range in Essex.
Black teas and blended teas are generally the most familiar. Black teas are allowed to oxidise during manufacture but there are considerable variations in method. This gives them immense variety of character. Examples include the popular Assam, Ceylon and Kenya in addition to Darjeeling, Earl Grey, Lapsang Souchong, Golden Monkey, Russian Caravan and of course decaffeinated black China tea. Our best-selling English Breakfast tea is a blend of 50% Assam and 50% Ceylon.
Green teas have very low levels of caffeine (8.4 mg per cup compared with 25-110 mg per cup for black teas and 60-120 mg for coffee). Green teas are fresher in taste and should be drunk not too strong and without milk. Examples include Seaweed Wakame, Japanese Sencha, Sencha Genmai Cha (green tea with rice and popcorn), Mount Fuji, Palace Needle (organic) and Gyokuro.
White tea is harvested for only a few days each year when the leaf buds are white with the down of the new growth. The leaf is dried and withered and has the lowest caffeine levels of any tea, the tea hardly oxidising at all. These are mostly very pale teas with a distinctly delicate flavour. Our white teas include Jasmine Pearls, Silver Needle, Snowbuds, Oolong Silvertip and White Peony (Pai Mu Tan).
Herbal teas and tisanes are not teas at all but herbal or fruit infusions. They can be a pleasant and healthy alternative to tea. These infusions are usually made from the dried leaf, in the same manner in which teas are made. Our wide selection includes camomile, lemon & ginger, echinacea, fennel seed, lemon balm, turmeric, peppermint leaf, rooibos (red bush), hibiscus and several real fruit tisanes.
All our teas are available for purchase by the packet - so you can try before you buy!