It’s the month of May and here in the Northeastern US, the botanical kingdom is in full, luxurious growth and vibrant bloom. On May 21st, we celebrate International Tea Day, a lovely time to pause and appreciate the scents and flavors of our favorite beverage! This annual celebration of tea was officially adopted in 2019 by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations to raise awareness on the socioeconomic and cultural significance of tea cultivation and processing around the world.
At Upton Tea Imports, we continue to cultivate our long-term relationships with each one of our suppliers, dedicated to our commitment of providing exceptional tea to our Valued Customers every day. We also subscribe to the values set forth by the Ethical Tea Partnership and their vision for a thriving, socially just, and environmentally sustainable tea sector. Through their growing number of initiatives to tackle tea’s most pressing issues across economics, equality, and the environment, they continue to pursue their mission to catalyze long-term, systemic change that benefits everybody who works in tea.
To celebrate International Tea Day, you may enjoy preparing or attending a tea party, perhaps, weather permitting, a picnic tea party where you can sip your tea while communing with nature. Or you could find a local spot to enjoy a full afternoon tea service, or partake in a formal tea ceremony. If you feel more like settling in with your favorite cup at home, you can read about the exciting adventures and fascinating history of tea contained in our extensive Upton Tea Quarterly article archives here.
However you choose to celebrate, this is a perfect opportunity to invigorate your tea rotation by exploring our New Arrivals section for a bit of tea-spiration. We introduce enticing new selections all the time; discover a new favorite from a region you haven’t explored yet. Our new tea list features the first of our 35th anniversary selections. From the Sun Moon Lake region of Taiwan, this special black tea is redolent with notes of bread pudding, caramelized brown sugar, cinnamon, and a hint of malt. You may also enjoy sampling our unique Samabeong Estate Second Flush Burgundy Darjeeling, fragrant with floral and muscatel notes. Nilgiri is beautifully represented by two black teas — a golden, tippy Chamraj Estate selection with rich, cocoa notes and honey sweetness, and a stunning Kairbetta Estate “Winter Frost” tea with sweet vegetal notes, accented by hints of vanilla honey and spice. A staff favorite adorns the list as well — Special Honey Phoenix Orchid Oolong — gorgeous hand-twisted leaves that produce a velvety smooth cup with interwoven notes of stone fruit, citrus, and a floral mélange. If each of these sounds so tantalizing that you can’t pick just one, samples are always a great idea and taste testing is a lot of fun.
Whether you celebrate with a tea party, an afternoon tea, or a quick tea break on the go, take a moment to raise a cuppa and celebrate the long history and deep cultural impact of tea around the world. Until next time, keep sipping!