History of tea

Surrounded by two large neighbors, India and China, Nepal has made a special place for itself in the tea world. With its dizzying mountains and suitable climate, this Southeast Asian country produces well-recognizable and exceptional teas.

Almost completely unknown to European consumers, South American teas – which cannot rival the fine teas of India or Sri Lanka but boast similar characteristics – are just waiting to be discovered.

It all began in 2737 BC in China. According to legend, whilst the emperor Shen Nung was boiling water to slake his thirst in the shade of a tree, a light breeze rustled the branches and caused a few leaves to fall. They mixed with the water and gave it a delicate colour and perfume. The emperor tasted it and found it to be delicious. The tree was a wild tea plant: tea was born.

Georgia is a small country that has been producing tea since the beginning of the 19th century. In the Guria region, in the western part of the country, one can find some exceptional black and green teas.

Himalayan Flower has a delicate fresh floral fragrance that heralds the first notes of spring. This richly aromatic black tea comes from the spring harvest and is prized by many tea lovers around the world. Rightly so: to taste it is to be transported to India and the timeless landscapes of Darjeeling.

Currently the second largest world producer of tea, India would have to wait until the 19th century to begin its tea cultivation. In addition to the famous Darjeeling teas, a region located in the Himalayan foothills, the country produces a number of exceptional teas.

The seventh producer of tea in the world, Indonesia has more than 12, hectares of plantations of which the large majority are on the Island of Java and Sumatra. Since the 198s, small farms have been able to cultivate black, green and oolong teas of great quality.

The cradle of tea and first world producer, China offers the largest variety of tea in the world. Discover its history and some emblematic teas from The Middle Kingdom.

Outside the well-known producing countries, around ten Asian countries also make tea following two different traditions: the Chinese approach, such as Thailand and Laos, or the British one, as with Indonesia and Bangladesh.

While Brazil plays a small role in the tea world, the country produces excellent matés, called “chimarrão”, in the southern part of the country.

For only a few years now, Colombia has been producing quality black, green and white teas. Harvested in the Cauca Valley at more than 1,8 meters in altitude, the tea plants benefit from unique climate conditions.

The introduction of tea to Africa goes back to the end of the 19th century. It first originated in South Africa where the English started its cultivation to secure new sources of supply. Then, German settlers experimented with its cultivation on the slopes of Mount Cameroon and in Tanzania.