“Thomas, which tea do you recommend for me, and where can I buy it?” – that is certainly one of the questions I am most frequently asked about tea.
To help you find your next favorite tea at a reasonable price, I have put together the following tea list. If you are looking for delicious white tea, yellow tea, green tea, oolong tea, black tea or heicha, you should always find something that suits your personal taste or current mood among my tea recommendations.
The shop links lead to tea dealers, some of whom I have discount agreements with. You may get a small discount (usually around 5–10%) if you use my affiliate links or the check-out code THOMASTALKSTEA. For every sale made in this way, I receive a small commission in return – this means: your purchase directly supports my work. Thank you very much in advance for that!
Have fun browsing the list. And: happy sipping!
Thomas
«Baihao Yinzhen» (白毫银针) • White tea, China
Also known as Silver Needle. A famous white tea from Fujian province.
Watch my tea videos on YouTube
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«Yabao» (芽包) • White tea, China
Sometimes sold as Pu Er Bai Ya, what gets picked for this tea are the twig buds of old tea plants grown in the misty forests of Yunnan. Much like any other white tea, Yabao yields has fresh, clear liqour tjat will surprise you with its subtle spicy notes. Also great for cold brew!
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«Shengcha» (生茶) • Pu-erh tea (raw)/green tea, China
Often referred to as sheng pu-erh, this term describes a range of teas that, according to their processing, could initially be categorised as green. Due to a natural fermentation process, the profile of shengcha gradually develops and becomes more complex over the course of the tea leaves being stored for years (or, rather: decades), usually in the form of pressed tea cakes.
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«Anji Baicha» (安吉白茶) • Green tea, China
Hailing from Anji County in China’s Zhejiang province, this green tea is special to me in so many ways. Made from the Bai Ye No. 1 (白叶一号) cultivar, the leaves of this green tea appear pale green early in spring, due to a very low amount of chlorophyll – which has led to the tea being called “white” despite its processing as a green tea. Although there are more affordable Chinese green teas that offer a similar experience, this prestigious original is still my personal preference. Or, as my former mentor put it: “This is the only tea I’ll truly ever need.”
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Advertisement: Buy Chinese green tea «Anji Baicha» from Teasenz – 5% off with code THOMASTALKSTEA(1)
«Longjing» (龍井茶) • Green tea, China
Also known as Dragon Well. A famous Chinese green tea from the West Lake region in Hangzhou.
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«Daejak» (대작) • Green tea, South Korea
An excellent Korean green tea from the third harvest, and one of my preferred green teas overall – made by one of my favourite tea masters in the world, Cho Yun Seok.
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«Sencha» (煎茶) • Green tea, Japan
This most well-known out of the vast variety of Japanese green teas is also still my favourite. High-quality sencha can easily compete with other Japanese teas that are famous for their elegance, like Gyokuro or Kabusecha.
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«Baozhong» (包種) • Oolong tea (light), Taiwan
An oolong tea from the rural district of Pinglin, New Taipei City, Taiwan. A delightful “green” oolong – meaning it falls on the lower end of the oxidation spectrum – with twisted leaves that boast floral and fruity notes, and a buttery finish.
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Advertisement: Buy Taiwanese oolong tea «Qing Yu – Pinglin Baozhong» from XianCha Tea – 10% off with code THOMASTALKSTEA(2)
«Naixiang Jinxuan» (奶香金萱) • Oolong tea (light), Taiwan
Grown in the pristine high-altitude tea gardens of Taiwan, this oolong offers a unique taste profile. The leaves emit a gentle, natural milk fragrance during brewing, and the tea has a smooth, velvety texture with floral undertones. The milk-like quality is not artificially added; it arises naturally from the leaves themselves. High-altitude cultivation contributes to the tea’s sweetness and complexity.
Its name in Mandarin combines two intriguing elements: 奶香 (Nǎixiāng) literally means “milk fragrance.” It describes the unique creamy and milky aroma found in this tea. 金萱 (Jīnxuān) is the name of the tea cultivar used to produce this oolong. Also known as “TTES #12”, it is famous for its rich flavor and natural milk scent.
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Advertisement: Buy Taiwanese tea «Golden Sunshine – High Mountain Milky Oolong» from XianCha Tea – 10% off with code THOMASTALKSTEA(2)
«Dongding» (凍頂) • Oolong tea (light), Taiwan
Originally hailing from Dongding mountain, this medium-roasted oolong tea is by many considered the most balanced of the Taiwanese bunch. Its liqour appears less green in colour (more towards a bright orange) – especially when compared to high mountain oolongs, like Alishan or Lishan.
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«Dongfang Meiren» (東方美人) • Oolong tea (dark), Taiwan
Also known as Oriental Beauty. An oolong tea with fruity notes and a distinct amber hue, due to its higher level of oxidation (about 70%). My special pick for fans of second flush Darjeeling teas who wish to try something truly spectacular!
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«Darjeeling First Flush» • Oolong/black tea, India
This tea is often marketed as a black tea, but its liquor colour hints at the fact that technically it is more of an unroasted oolong tea, due to its incomplete oxidation process.
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«Ruby 18 Black» (台茶18號紅玉紅茶) • Black tea, Taiwan
Sun Moon Lake Ruby #18 Black Tea, also known as “Sun Moon Lake Ruby Black,” originates from the picturesque shores of Taiwan’s Sun Moon Lake. Its defining characteristic lies in the use of the Taiwanese “Ruby” cultivar, scientifically known as TRES #18. This cultivar results from a fascinating hybridization: the large-leaved Burmese B-929 cultivar serves as the mother, while Taiwan’s native wild B-607 tea tree acts as the father. The name “ruby” aptly reflects the tea’s infusion colour: a rich ruby-red hue.
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Advertisement: Buy Taiwanese tea «Master Ruby – Ruby 18 Black» from XianCha Tea – 10% off with code THOMASTALKSTEA(2)
«Balhyocha» (발효차) • Black tea, South Korea
Also known as Woori, this exceptional black tea (that behaves more like an oolong, really) will enchant you with its unique, long-lasting notes of cocoa and caramel.
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Advertisement: Buy tea and teaware from Teasenz – 5% off with code THOMASTALKSTEA(1)
(1) This link will lead you to Teasenz.eu, an online tea store based in the Netherlands that specialises in high quality Chinese teas. Thanks to my affiliate agreement with them, you will get 5% off on each purchase on their online store by using my affiliate links or the check-out code THOMASTALKSTEA. I will receive a small commission on each sale made this way.
(2) This link will lead you to xianchatea.com, an online tea store based in Berlin, Germany that specialises in high quality Taiwanese teas. Thanks to my affiliate agreement with them, you will get 10% off on each purchase on their online store by using my affiliate links or the check-out code THOMASTALKSTEA. I will receive a small commission on each sale made this way.