Filter
THE BEST OF
BLACK TEAS
Black loose leaf teas are the most widely drunk teas in the world, and for good reason: fully oxidised from leaf to cup, they offer a depth, strength and richness that no other category quite matches. Our collection draws from the greatest growing regions — Assam, Darjeeling, Ceylon, Nepal, China, Africa and beyond — bringing together single-estate teas and small-batch blends chosen for flavour, freshness and character rather than mass-market convenience.
From the Greatest Growing Regions
Full oxidation is what makes black tea black. After picking, the leaves are withered, rolled and allowed to oxidise completely — a process that darkens the leaf, concentrates its flavour and produces the depth and body that makes a proper brew so satisfying. Beyond that shared process, the diversity is remarkable. The same fully oxidised leaf can produce the bold, malty richness of an Assam estate tea, the delicate muscatel of a Darjeeling flush, the brightness of a Ceylon, or the deep pine-smoked drama of a Lapsang Souchong. That range — all within one category — is what makes a well-chosen loose leaf black tea collection genuinely worth exploring, and what sets single-estate and small-batch teas so far apart from anything sitting in a supermarket shelf.
Flavour and Character
Three teas illustrate the breadth on offer here. Mokalabari East from Assam is a classic bold black tea: bright, full-bodied and richly spiced, it is exactly what a single-estate breakfast tea should be — best with a splash of milk and satisfying enough to make you question every mass-produced blend you have ever bought. Happy Valley Estate Darjeeling, a 1st/2nd flush blend, is entirely different in character: lighter and more aromatic, with the muscatel notes and soft fruity peach quality that has made Darjeeling famous among tea lovers worldwide. Lapsang Souchong from the Tong Mu Guan area of Fujian Province stands in a category almost entirely its own — dried over pine fires, it carries a deep, distinctive wood-smoke and pine resin character created by compounds found in no other tea. It is a cup for those who want something bold, memorable and completely unlike anything else.
Brewing Black Tea
Black teas are generally forgiving and easy to brew. Most work well with freshly boiled water and three to four minutes of steeping, adjusted to taste. Stronger, maltier styles such as Assam are excellent with milk and can be brewed for up to five minutes for a fuller, more robust cup. Darjeeling is better taken without milk — or with very little — so the aromatic muscatel and peach notes come through clearly; three minutes is usually ideal. Lapsang Souchong is best enjoyed black and brewed for three to four minutes, where the smoke and pine develop fully. Kosabei Estate from Kenya — malty and bright with notes of currant and caramel — sits somewhere between Assam and Ceylon in character and works well both with and without milk.
Our collection spans the full range of what black tea can be: single-estate teas from the world's greatest growing regions, small-batch blends chosen for flavour and freshness, and a decaffeinated option for when you want the full character of a proper black tea at any time of day. Once you have tried loose leaf, it is very difficult to go back.
FAQs
Black tea is tea made from Camellia sinensis leaves that are fully oxidised, giving the tea its darker colour, fuller body and deeper flavour.
Black tea can be rich, malty, brisk, fruity, floral or smoky depending on the region and style.
Yes, black tea naturally contains caffeine, though the exact amount varies by tea and brewing style.
Yes. Many black teas are excellent with milk, especially fuller-bodied styles, though lighter and more aromatic teas are often best drunk black.
Choose by style: an Assam if you want something rich and malty, a Darjeeling for a lighter aromatic cup, a Kenyan tea for brightness and depth, or a smoky Chinese black tea if you want something more distinctive.