Tea Is the World's Most Consumed Beverage
After water, tea is the most consumed drink on earth. Over 3 billion cups are brewed daily across every culture, climate, and continent. Yet tea is not one thing — it is thousands of things. From a Japanese matcha ceremony to a Moroccan mint tea ritual to a British afternoon cuppa, tea means something different everywhere it grows and everywhere it is drunk.
China: Where It All Began
Tea was discovered in China approximately 5,000 years ago, according to legend by Emperor Shen Nong when a leaf blew into his boiling water. China remains the world's largest tea producer and the source of the greatest diversity of tea styles — green, white, yellow, oolong, black, and pu-erh all have their origins in Chinese growing regions. Fujian Province alone produces Tie Guan Yin oolong, Silver Needle white tea, and Lapsang Souchong smoked black tea — three completely different experiences from one region.
Japan: The Art of the Ceremony
Japan received tea from China in the 9th century and transformed it into an art form. The Japanese tea ceremony (chado) is a meditative practice of preparing and serving matcha — powdered green tea — in a choreographed ritual that embodies the principles of harmony, respect, purity, and tranquility. Japan also produces Gyokuro, the shade-grown green tea considered the finest in the world, and Sencha, the everyday green tea drunk by millions.
India: The Empire's Legacy
The British brought tea cultivation to India in the 1800s to break China's monopoly. The result was Darjeeling — grown in the foothills of the Himalayas — producing teas so distinctive they earned geographical indication status. Assam, in the Brahmaputra Valley, produces the bold, malty black teas that power the world's chai culture. The masala chai tradition — tea boiled with milk, sugar, and spices — is one of the most beloved beverage rituals on earth.
Africa: The New Powerhouse
Kenya, Rwanda, and Malawi have emerged as major tea producers in recent decades. Kenyan tea is prized for its bright coppery color and brisk, bright flavor — the backbone of many English Breakfast blends. Rwanda produces some increasingly celebrated single-origin black teas that rival the best Darjeelings in complexity.
Every Tradition, One Leaf
The same plant — Camellia sinensis — gives us all of these experiences. The differences come from altitude, soil, processing, and centuries of cultural refinement. Explore the world's great teas in our Rare and Specialty Teas collection.