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Hainan Island sits at the southern tip of China, closer to Vietnam than to Beijing, and it's not the country's most famous tea region. That's part of what makes this tea worth knowing. Our colleague VeeVee, who scouts artisanal teas across China, brought it to our attention, and we're glad she did. The long, thick black leaves brew into a dark, medium-bodied cup with stone fruit warmth, slowly roasted plum, and a deep, unhurried finish with almost no bite. For those who find most black teas too brisk, this is a welcome change of pace.

Qing Ti Quan Yin comes from Anxi, in central Fujian Province, the historic heartland of Ti Quan Yin production. Ti Quan Yin, sometimes called Iron Goddess of Mercy, is one of China's most celebrated oolong cultivars, and the "Qing" style sits at the lighter, greener end of its range: minimal oxidation, no roasting, and leaves rolled into tight balls that unfurl slowly through multiple steepings. That light hand in processing is what defines the character of this tea. Emeric Harney has long been drawn to darker oolongs, but Qing Ti Quan Yin earns its place in the lineup precisely because it goes the other direction, bright and fresh where the roasted styles are deep and caramelized. Re-steep the leaves several times. They open gradually, and the later steepings are worth the patience.

Himalaya Tea, our longtime Colombian partner based in Yumbo, has been supplying us with black teas for years. This latest creation pairs their Colombian black with real cacao pieces for something quieter and more intimate than the name might suggest. Think of it less as a chocolate tea and more as a tea that's spent time near chocolate, picking up its warmth without borrowing its sweetness.

Now we are pleased to offer their latest blend of black tea and cacao kisses. Please note, there is no chocolate flavor, so the chocolate flavor is more of a peck than a kiss! It's the kind of tea that's easy to reach for any time of day, especially when you want something comforting without the weight of a full-flavored dessert blend.

Ti Quan Yin is one of China's most celebrated oolong styles, and within that tradition, the term "Nong" marks a specific approach: a darker, heavier roast applied to the finished leaves, distinct from the lighter "Qing" style. This roasting is done over charcoal, driving out moisture and concentrating the tea's character in a way that changes it fundamentally from its greener counterpart.

Central Fujian Province is the heartland of Ti Quan Yin production, and the traditional darker style has been made there for generations, prized for the depth it develops over the roasting process. The result is a medium-bodied cup built for those who find the greener Ti Quan Yin styles too delicate. It holds up well to multiple steepings, with the roasted qualities mellowing gradually as the caramelized florals come forward.

Da Yu Lin comes from the high mountain (Gao Shan) growing areas of Taiwan, near the more famous Li Shan region. At these elevations, cool temperatures and frequent mountain mists slow the growth of the tea plants, concentrating the character of the leaf and producing the bright, layered profile that Taiwan's high mountain oolongs are known for. Like its neighbors in the central mountain range, this tea is rolled into tight balls, a hallmark of the ball-rolled oolong tradition that traveled to Taiwan from southern Fujian Province, China. That processing lets the leaves open gradually, so the tea rewards several steepings, each one drawing out a little more from the leaf. A worthy choice for anyone drawn to the high mountain style.

In 2026, we visited our friend at Tong Lu, a garden in Zhejiang Province built around the well-regarded Jiukeng cultivar, a plant that has thrived in this part of eastern China for decades. The growers there are producing both green and black teas, and the care they bring to both is precisely the kind of quiet, purposeful craft that makes these sourcing trips worthwhile.

The Jiukeng cultivar gives Tong Lu Green a character that sits comfortably in the gentler end of the Chinese green spectrum: light-bodied, low in briskness, and easy to return to cup after cup.

The twisted leaves, a mix of bright and dark green, brew into a soft lima bean liquor that's almost translucent in the light. The aroma leans fresh and cool, like sliced cucumber on a warm afternoon, and the flavor follows through with that same garden character: cucumbers, a hint of zucchini, clean and easy on the palate.

Our Organic Matcha comes from the southern island of Kyushu in the area around Kagoshima, Japan. It is certified organic by the USDA. It is harvested in the early spring and thus has high levels of umami, though not as high as our Jobetsugi and other ceremonial grades. Organic Matcha can be consumed by itself or as a latte. Iced or hot, it’s your call!

Make sure to check out all our Matcha teas!

Not all silver tips are created equal. While our Ceylon Vintage Silver Tips is plucked with surgical precision from cultivated tea bushes, Artisanal Ceylon Argent comes from a wilder place entirely, the highland forests of Sri Lanka, where tea grows on towering trees that reach up to 40 feet tall.

The tea is made by our friend Buddika at his small factory in Ratnapura. Buddika was born and raised in Kandy, Sri Lanka, and spent 17 years as a trainee tea planter before striking out on his own to produce artisanal teas by hand. His skilled artisans carefully pluck and process each bud, and you can see the difference: these are rustic, large silver buds with a character that no machine could replicate. In the cup, the difference is just as clear. Where traditional silver tips are delicate, this tea brings a rich, maple-sap sweetness with complexity that lingers on the palate, evoking the untamed essence of the forests where it's grown. It is one of the purest expressions of what tea can be when the plant, the place, and the maker are all extraordinary.

Green Gulou arrives in the cup quietly. The dry leaves, twisted into silvery-green curls, open into a pale green liquor that's almost translucent in the light. There's nothing aggressive here. This is a tea that asks you to slow down and pay attention.

The aroma is subtly savory, reminiscent of steamed zucchini, and the flavor mirrors the scent with a clean, vegetable-forward greenness typical of a well-crafted Chinese green. Think tender bok choy, lightly steamed, with no bitterness and very little astringency. The body is light, the briskness minimal, and the overall impression is one of restraint done right.

This is a shou, or "ripe," Pu-Erh from Xishuangbanna in Yunnan Province, the region in China where the first tea plants were found. Shou Pu-Erh is set apart from sheng, or raw, Pu-Erh by its fermentation: the Chinese pile the leaves in warm, moist rooms in a method called "wo dui," which accelerates an aging process that would otherwise take years. This one comes from Brown Mountain, where ancient tea plants yield leaves prized for pressing into flat cakes, or bings. We break those large cakes into more manageable chunks. Being a young tea, it carries plenty of vigor, with the depth and body that give Pu-Erh its reputation. It stands up to repeated infusions. For each additional brew, steep an extra 15 to 30 seconds.

Several years ago, Mike and his wife, Brigitte, took a trip to the hills and waters of Thousand Island Lake in southern Zhejiang Province, China. The sun was shining, and the weather was invigorating as they drove around the curves that follow the scenic shores of this large reservoir. The hills rise from the lake’s edges. There are enough stone walls to melt a New Englander’s heart. Finally, after hours of driving, they arrived at a storybook tea village: Chun Lu, where the tea was exceptional. The tea was produced from organically grown tea plants in a new factory, which produces teas with special flavors and a rich mouthfeel.

So, we have a weak spot for Chun Lu and brought it back this year. As an early spring tea, Chun Lu is rich in amino acids, which contribute to its medium body. The color is unlike most other green teas. It is a much more vibrant green without any silvery tip. Additionally, the shape of the tea is unusual due to its thick curl. The special flavor reminds us of the light yet refreshing flavor of cucumber.

Heavenly Gyokuro is hand-picked just outside of Uji, Japan. Our friend Tsuyoshi uses tea from the Ujitawara and Kyotanbe mountains. This area of central Japan is known to have the best shade-grown Gyokuro. The plants gradually receive cover towards the end of the growing season. This stress forces the plant to react by adding more green-appearing chlorophyll. The combination of mouth-filling umami and a very distinctive spinach-like aroma is what makes this tea heavenly.

Uji, located 30 minutes south of Kyoto, is the primary location for growing Gyokuro. To meet the demands of the Emperor and other members of the aristocracy, there were large tea fields and many tea factories built around Kyoto. The twilight of the Edo era saw the commercialization of shade-grown teas.

Jin Jun Mei, meaning “Golden Beautiful Eyebrow,” is one of China’s most prized black teas, hailing from the Wuyishan Mountains of Fujian Province. This particular version offers an approachable and more affordable take on the traditional style—crafted from leaves picked a bit later in the spring.

The dry leaves are striking, with russet gold tips nestled among curly black leaves, and they steep into a rich oak-brown liquor. The aroma offers soft, sweet cocoa notes, but the flavor goes deeper—earthy and savory, with a surprising richness.

A few years ago, on our annual trip to China, we came upon a new tea garden in southern Zhejiang Province where veteran tea growers coaxed the famous Anji tea plants to bear fruit of unparalleled flavors. Today, those plants produce delicious green and black teas, including Tong Lu Black. Lightly malty and carrying faint hints of tropical fruit and natural sweetness, Tong Lu Black pairs brilliantly as a dessert tea or stands as a superb refresher on its own.

It was a pleasure to see Mr. Yu during our recent trip to China. He makes this black tea from the Jokuen tea plant. We love the fruity flavors!

On a recent trip to Japan to visit the Otsukas, they introduced us to this Asanoka Sencha. Kohei, our host, shared with us the current production of this lighter steamed Sencha, and immediately we were hooked. An early season Sencha coming from eastern Kyushu, the sweet tropical fruit aromas dance delicately above a mellow-bodied cup. The brew is well-balanced umami, with a faint trace of astringency to give it confidence.

We visited Teesta Valley on the eastern edge of the Darjeeling tea area years ago. However, the memories of the lovely estate are fresh. Waking before dawn to hike to the top of the estate for pictures was such a pleasure, and the descent to drink copious amounts of tea made the day memorable. Drinking this solid first flush brings back those fond memories. There, the steep hillside conditions and cool spring air produce some of the most distinctive first flush teas of the season.

This 2026 harvest is among the best we've tasted. The garden climbs from 1,950 to 4,200 feet, and that dramatic range of elevation shapes how the tea develops across the season. This particular harvest came around the beginning of the first flush season on March 11th, when the leaves were young and fresh, and it uses an old China-variety cultivar. In the cup, bright grapefruit lifts off the surface, giving way to mellow citrus and a quiet whisper of steamed greens, a hallmark of first flush character at its best. The body is light but lively, with a briskness that wakes you up without overwhelming. For those who love our other Darjeeling first flushes, Teesta Valley offers a slightly greener, more citrus-forward profile.

Beginning on August 27, 2026, Elyse Harney has committed 50% of sales of Nepalese and Darjeeling teas to the Nepalese Red Cross via the American Red Cross.