Grands Crus

 
 
 
 
Grands Crus
 
 
Rare and ephemeral, teas identified as Grands Crus by Palais des Thés are the result of the alchemy between a tea plant variety, its terroir and the talent of an artisan grower. Meticulously plucked, processed and sourced in the most respected tea gardens, our Grands Crus unveil unique flavors that reflect the refinement of their origins.
 
 
 
 

Savor the exceptional

 
 
Between tradition and innovation, each Grand Cru is at once rare, limited and artisanal.
 
 
Rare
Icon Rare
Rare
Over the years, François-Xavier Delmas has developed an in-depth knowledge of tea gardens, giving him access to some of the lesser known plantations in the business. Thanks to the relationships he has cultivated with expert growers, the founder of Palais des Thés has access to the best teas that are rare, sometimes limited to just a few kilos, and exceptional.
 
 
Éphémère
Icon Time-limited
Limited
Grands Crus teas are only available during their optimal tasting period, which only lasts a few months. Tea leaves are only harvested once they are fully mature, so that they reveal their unique taste characteristics. Direct supplying from plantations means that our teas can be delivered quickly, thus guaranteeing their freshness.
 
 
Artisanal
Icon Hand-crafted
Artisanal
Each Grand Cru owes its unique character to the hard work and passion that goes into creating it. After the meticulous methods for harvesting are complete, processing the leaves requires further expertise: shriveling, rolling, oxidation, fermentation, roasting, sorting and wrapping.
 
 
 
 
Production areas
 
 
From Asia to South America, including Africa, Europe (Georgia) and Oceania (Papua New Guinea), exceptional teas can be found on every continent.
  • Asie de l'Est
    East Asia
    As the birthplace of tea and the largest tea producer worldwide, China has a variety of impressive teas to offer. In Japan, tea is anchored in Japanese tradition since the 9th century. South Korea and Taiwan also boast renowned and popular teas.
  • Asie du Sud
    South Asia
    As the second largest producer of tea worldwide, India mainly grows high quality black teas. In neighboring Nepal, there are tea gardens nestled in the middle of the Himalayas, producing teas of every color.
  • Asie du Sud-Est
    South-East Asia
    In Myanmar, tea has been grown for a thousand years and small growers offer rare and unique teas. Indonesia produces high quality teas thanks to its ideal climate conditions. Vietnam and Thailand produce many different colors of tea in small quantities.
  • Afrique
    Africa
    Kenya is the largest tea producer in the continent. In the last few years, it has diversified its production thanks to the work of small growers of black, green and oolong tea. In Malawi and Rwanda, one can find high quality teas. Every type of tea is produced there.
  • Amérique du Sud
    South America
    For several years, Colombia has produced refined black, green and white teas. Harvested in the Cauca Valley, these teas benefit from exceptional climate conditions. Peru also offers some rarities, even though production is still quite minimal.
  • Europe
    Europe
    Georgia is a small country that has produced tea since the 19th century. In the Guria region, located in the western part of the country, one can find subtle and gourmet black and green teas.
  • Océanie
    Oceania
    Located southwest of the Pacific Ocean, Papua New Guinea enjoys a large cultural and biological diversity. On this land of coffee, some rare gardens produce teas in the western Highlands.
 
 
 
Varying seasonal harvests
 
 
First flushes are the first harvests of the year, and are without a doubt the most eagerly awaited by tea lovers. In winter, young shoots from tea plants have had time to stock up on minerals and amino acids, and this concentration means that they can produce a highly rich, flavoured and complex tea.
Visuel mobile
 
Visuel 1
Visuel 2
Visuel 3
Visuel 4
 
Every year we offer our customers first flushes from four tea growing countries. In China, the harvest takes place in April across several regions. These are referred to as "new season green teas". In India, the most iconic first flush is from Darjeeling. Depending on the year, the harvest begins between the end of February and the third week of March. In Nepal, teas made from first flushes come from tea gardens in the Himalayas. Finally, in Japan, Ichibancha (or "first harvest") is the most highly-prized harvest for green teas.

Two other harvests take place in Darjeeling and Nepal : the second flush and third flush. These Grands Crus are renowned for their wide diversity and aromatic richness.
 
 
Our suggestions
Log In