The Post of Tea

I love tea and my cupboard stores quite a few varieties. I just can't resist from buying tea when I see some intriguing flavour. During the day I will drink real tea while in the evening I go for herbal teas so that I can sleep easily. I've been to few foodie events and I've seen quite a great selection of teas.

The East India Company has got a long history of trade with the Far Eastern countries. Its teas are legendary as well as its selection of coffees, biscuits and chocolate. A visit to one of its stores will embrace you in a rainbow of flavours and it will be difficult to leave empty handed. Check the website to find a store or to order online at www.theeastindiacompany.com

Ahmad Tea has been a family run business for four generations and the MD said that he would have never sold something that he would not drink at home. This statement summarises the fact the only high quality teas would have been accepted in the company.  The selection is quite impressive from traditional teas to herbal and special blends. www.ahmadtea.com

Cindy's Tea is the brainchild of medical herbalist Cindy Ledgerwood. Her teas are divine. Most of them are herbal teas with blends full of flavour and colours. I 've tried "Deep Sleep" a delicious blend of lavender, rose, Valerian, chamomile and other soothing herbs. It was quite difficult to choose which one to try because they've looked  all delicious. Try for yourself at www.cindystea.love

The teas (and coffee and hot chocolate) by Cupsmith are produced in small batches to maintain their freshness. The teas are delicious down to the packaging. The blends are all carefully selected and the pyramid tea bags are biodegradable.  Cupsmith production of Teas, Coffees, roasted  in Surrey, and Drinking Chocolate has got  a small selection for each, because they want to keep the product fresh without risking to have left overs in its warehouse. www.cupsmith.com

The selection of the English Tea Shop is quite impressive. With its manufacturing facility in Sri Lanka, its organic, fairtrade tea is sold virtually everywhere. The production includes black, white , green tea, herbal teas, traditional flavours and new ones, all in a very colourful and eye catching packaging. Among its stockists you can find Harrods in London, Selfridges, Debenhams and WH Smith just to name a few. www.etsteas.co.uk

You can find this amazing tea in Paris at Jugetsudo tea shop by Maruyamanori.  Next time you nip to the Eurostar remember to pop to Saint Germain de Pres 95 Rue de Seine for a supply of these green teas among other the Sencha quality and the Matcha. For now it is possible to order online but I hope that they will be stocked soon or better open a tea shop here in UK. www.jugetsudo.fr 

I know that a tea purist might be shocked by this product but I can say that it is great. It can be taken at the office and it is the end of tea bags in sight. This idea is from No More Tea Bags. The concept is very simple, you squirt the quantity desired in a mug, you won't need it much and then add boiling water from the kettle, stir and tea is ready. It will end the mess in a office cupboard, you can just keep the bottle in your drawer and make your tea at your desk without worrying about the tea bag. Flavours available are Breakfast, Earl Grey and Jasmine. I've sampled the Jasmine and it was delicious. www.nomoreteabags.com

Or Tea? is a brand specialised in premium blends from China. The selection is great and the offering of white, black and green tea among others will satisfy any tea lover. The packaging is lovely, with tin caddies  eye catching and very colourful matching the blends. Based in Amsterdam, they are not yet in UK but they ship all over the world.  www.or-tea.com

Prince & Sons has started with 12 blends comprising  teas and herbal infusions. The flavours are split between traditional and with a twist like the Chocolate Cinnamon Chai with Black Tea or the Chamomile with Rose Petals and Lavender. They are stocked at Harvey Nichols and Selfridges as well as at the website  www.princeandsonstea.com

Tea People is a social enterprise and they use top grade whole leaf tea, all the ingredients are pure and natural, and more important , they buy small quantities  of tea so that the stock is always fresh. The one thing that makes this brand unique is the fact that 50% of their profits goes to the regions producing tea in order to help children, supporting educational and social projects in those areas. This Green Tea is rolled up in the gunpowder form and it is a single estate large leaf tea. Check Tea People extensive catalogue at www.teapeople.co.uk

Teapigs is a very popular brand and its blends are delicious. I can't say which one is my favourite because they are all great and their availability in most supermarkets makes it easy to sample them all. Both in a pyramid tea bag or loose, the company is always coming up with new products. Wait to see the Christmas range in their nice packaging and find on the website the white tins full of your chosen blend that you can refill while recycling the paper packaging bought in store. www.teapigs.co.uk

Tea Pop is a great concept where the high quality of tea is not compromised but there is no waste of teabags or leaves. The process involves the extraction of flavours, aroma and antioxidants from organic whole white tea leaves and made  into spheres. Then each "pop" will be melted with boiling water, stirred and consumed. I've sampled it and found it delicious. The catalogue comprises of quite a good selection packed in tins for a nice gift as you can see in the picture or in sticks like a lollipop which will use the stick as  a stirrer as well. www.myteapop.com

The founder of TeaTime has focused in making gourmet healthy tea blends perfume free, chemical free, 100% natural and also the caffeine trace is almost zero, so perfect to be drank even in the late afternoon. The unique tea basket combines the practicality of a tea bag with the indulgence of loose tea. Amazon is among the stockists or you can buy directly at  www.myteatime.co.uk 

Grek is a UK based family run business where all the herbs are imported from Greece. In fact all the blends at Grek are organic herbal teas farmed ethically. The blends are packed in beautiful boxes that look like works of art, very stylish with their monochrome pattern. I've tried the Lemon Verbena and it was delicious. For now it can be bought online at www.grektea.com 

The Kettle Shed blends tea creating amazing flavours, also for each box of tea sold they donate tea to the homeless shelters in UK. The Kettle Shed tea is sold in boxes or for retail they've got these fabulous jars with pyramid bags. The catalogue is great with black, green. white and herbal among others and they can be found in several delis and nice coffee shops or online at www.thekettleshed.com