Funky Tea Infuser

A special infuser, not just a spoon to stir, but also to filter. Just fill the spoon with tea leaves, pour in boiling water into the cup and relax as the tea aroma dilutes through the specially designed pores. Made of fine grade silicone rubber, the infuser can stand up to 250°C. No tea lover should be without one.

Limerick Competition

Post an original tea Limerick here before 20th August 2009, and whichever we judge to be the most amusing will be rewarded with 250g of tea of your choice and an infuser. Results will be announced on www.highteas.co.uk

Restaurants and Tea Rooms - Great Deals

If you have a Restaurant or Tea Room, we highly recommend the use of Fine & Noble luxury pyramid tea bags. For sheer quality and convenience they are unbeatable. No traditional paper tea bag comes close. . We are currently negotiating with our suppliers for a special price for caterers. To achieve a really competitive deal, we intend to offer each type of tea in lots of 50 bags without the posh packaging. We can, of course, offer you an unbeatable deal on our loose teas, and suggestion on how best to brew and serve them up. In the meantime we would like to visit with you to discuss your requirements, and agree the best possible deal in the meantime. Be in touch to set the ball rolling. Watch the space below for the range and prices.

Trying to replicate two fabulous Oolongs

Trying to replicate two fabulous Oolong teas sent to me from Paris. One is a Dark Chocolate Orange Oolong, the other a Dark Chocolate Mint. If I succeed they will be listed shortly.

New Chinese Breakfast Tea - a great pick-me-up

Just launched our new Chinese Breakfast tea. I feel that this will go down as the tea that changed my life. It's strong, complex, rich, tasty and totally satisfying. It's amazing what a blend of good quality black and golden Yunnan teas can create. I think it might be a fabulous pick-me-up.

Darjeeling the Champagne of Teas

Just like Champagne nothing is worse than a poor Darjeeling. This is the reason we tend to follow a few reliable and exceptional estates. Obviously, we do make the odd exception if we find a remarkable tea elsewhere.
Our current favourite Estates, in alphabetical order are Badamtan, Castleton, Gopaldhra, Makaibari, Margaret's Hope, Okayti, Puttabong, Rohini, Tumsong. These are to be found over all the flushes, including Mid-Season and Autumnal.
Our choice for the First Flush 2009, is Giddapahar, a super greenish tea with lots of grassy flavour.
The Flushes (Harvests)
1st Flush is harvested in mid-March following spring rains, and has a gentle, very light colour, aroma, and mild astringency.
2nd Flush: The production of the world renowned “summer tea” is produced from the month of May. The Second Flush results from the luscious, moist and juicy leaves characterized by very enticing facade with a turquoise, purplish bloom and a touch of shimmering shiny apex (buds). The infused leaves are more vivid in its colour and appearance than that of spring. It is characterized by mature and a mellow brew. It is during this period that the famous "Muscatel" flavour becomes pronounced. This period expresses a full bodied aroma with its infused leaves of bright copper or purplish tinge.
Mid Flush: Harvested between 2nd Flush and the Autumnal tea, the leaves are less withered thus more oxidised. If well-chosen (ours are) they represent excellent value for money.
Autumnal Flush: In the months of October and November the “Autumnal quality” makes its prominence felt. The liquor imparts a delicate, yet a silvery and glimmering character and the appearance lends a light brownish tinge or gentle copper glow. This tea has a delightfully distinct feature and taste completely differs from that of Spring and the Summer Flush. The infused tea has a golden coppery hue with an aromatic and fresh fragrance.
I look forward to your early visit.

Life is too short to....

"Life is too short to drink bad tea or dance with ugly men" We can't offer you any handsome men but our teas are fabulous!

We're taking over the world - well France

Plus de 100 thés choisis avec soin et passion. Un grand merci à nos nouveaux clients et amis en France.

Flavoured Green and Oolong Teas

Our collection of naturally flavoured green and oolong teas has become really popular. It's a small collection of just 6 teas. The extraordinary feature of this range is that it attracts more repeat orders than any of our other teas. Some 70% of customers come back for more or try another flavoured tea. They are all well-priced between £2.50-£3.00per 100g. I'm hoping to add a lavender flavoured oolong as soon as I've approved the sample. Please let me know whether you'd like me to seek out other flavours.

"Tea is a remedy for the ills of a distracted life"

You have only to sip one of our delightful Chinese green teas to verify this statement. Visit soon.

Fabulous Ceylon Teas

The Fabulous Teas of Ceylon – A great collection to be found at www.highteas.co.uk Ceylon tea is tea that is grown in Sri Lanka (which was known as Ceylon before 1972). The black tea has a crisp aroma reminiscent of citrus, and is used both unmixed and in blends. It is grown on numerous estates, which vary in altitude and taste. Ceylon is renowned for its high-quality teas and as Sri Lanka is the 3rd biggest tea producing country. Ceylon tea is divided into three groups: High or Upcountry (Adawatte), Mid country (Medawatte), and Low country (Yatawatte) tea, based on the geography of the land on which it is grown. The plantations started by the British were initially taken over by the government in the 1960s but have since been privatized and are now run by 'plantation companies' which own a few 'estates' or tea plantations. The two top grades of whole leaf teas are OP (Orange Pekoe) and Pekoe with shorter leaves and a darker liquor. We’ve just upgraded our list.

Decaffeinated Teas

Tasting some decaff leaf teas this afternoon - English Breakfast, Earl Grey and Ceylon OP. If they're any good they'll be on the list soon.

Tea the New Wine

Tea is the new wine – website tells how to select the right one “Sturdy enough, yet elegant with a good colour and above all tasty” It’s the kind of description you would expect to see on the back of a wine bottle. But this is not a robust red or even a wine at all. It’s a breakfast tea, No. 1 Breakfast Blend to be precise - and the best cuppa you can get of a morning, according to the connoisseurs at www.highteas.co.uk. High Teas’ passion for and knowledge of their products is helping to elevate the good old British cuppa into a rather more gourmet affair. Its founder, Tony Marks, was previously a director of a successful wine company and in retirement is now pursuing his love of tea, bringing unique and unusual gourmet teas direct to the door of tea lovers. To help shoppers decide which of the fine teas to purchase Tony’s helpful ‘tea blog’ offers personal recommendations and insights into the fascinating world of tea. Try Moroccan Mint Tea, Earl Grey Fume, or Imperial White Peony with Rose Petals. Some of the teas available even boast health and weight loss benefits. There is a very wide range of teas available on the site including teas from Fine & Noble that come in special pyramid shaped free-flow nylon bags for improved infusion and flavour. As with all of the teas on the site, Fine & Noble teas are made in the traditional ‘orthodox’ method and therefore take longer to brew, creating a flavour that simply cannot be matched by an everyday teabag. High Teas is passionate to the point of being obsessed when it comes to finding the best quality, most interesting teas from around the world from breakfast teas to Chinese green teas, Oolong teas and White teas. The selection includes loose teas, speciality teas and many useful and stylish tea products such as infusers, tea glasses and brewing baskets. With so many unusual and delicious teas available from the site there is something for every tea drinker. Visit High Teas to start exploring the fascinating world of tea or to find the perfect unique gift for the tea lover in your life. Tony Marks – 14 July 09 – www.highteas.co.uk For further information email me at leflaneur@talktalk.net