Upton's Favorites

This organic green Darjeeling offering produces a pale gold liquor with a light vegetal fragrance that hints of stone fruit. A pronounced sweetness, suggestive of a juicy pear, complements the smooth, buttery mouth feel. A crisp, effervescent finish dances across the palate. An outstanding tea.

This extraordinary grade of Matcha Gen-mai Cha is seldom seen outside of Japan. The components are of exceptional quality, and produce a harmonious, well-balanced infusion, which is eminently smooth. Toasted rice add a soothing, mellow quality to the complex vegetal flavor.

Choicest Oolong (Wu-Long) is a flavorful alternative to the higher priced Fancy grades, with much of the complexity and cup character. The bold leaves, with some silvery tips, produce a liquor with notes of dark grapes and hints of peach.

This special production is composed entirely of unopened leaf buds. The cup has a delicate, sweet aroma. The light liquor is refreshing with a sweet hint and a lightly nutty/fruity finish. An outstanding organic white tea.

Large, dark brown leaves have been carefully rolled into uniform pearl shapes to create this unique offering from Yunnan province. Both the dry pearls and the infused liquor are fragrant with the scent of chocolate, hinting of its delicious flavor. The golden-amber cup is rich and earthy with notes of sweet cocoa and hints of stone fruit. The finish is smooth and lingering.

From An Hui province, home of the famous Hao-Ya Keemun teas, this selection offers a bright character with a suggestion of sweet tobacco in the aroma. The medium-bodied cup has warm toasty notes and a honey sweetness that blooms as the tea cools.

Small tuo chas (compressed cakes) of Shou Pu-Erh tea, with each tuo cha an ideal size for making approximately two cups. The liquor is dense and black. Multiple infusions are often made from this tea.

The beautiful, handmade leaves of this unique Oolong tea are created under the guidance of tea masters from Taiwan. The pale golden liquor is fragrant with a light floral aroma. The silky smooth cup is light and flavorful with a pronounced floral character. A lingering whisper of spice completes an outstanding tea experience.

This exceptional selection from Temi Estate offers a sweet, rich character with a toasty/nutty fragrance. Notes of stone fruit are enhanced by hints of honey and spice in the dark ruby copper cup. These notes linger long into the smooth finish.

This very approachable green tea selection from Sichuan province has quickly become a staff favorite. The wiry, sage-green leaves produce a bright gold cup with a sweet, fruity aroma. Pronounced notes of melon and apricot weave together with hints of tropical fruit to create a complex flavor that fills your mouth with a rich, lingering sweetness.

From Sichuan province, this 2018 Pre-Chingming green tea produces a fresh, vibrant cup. A toasty aroma hints of sweet corn, introducing a bright golden liquor with a smooth, full mouth feel. A rich fruitiness leads to a pleasant, lingering finish.