The Great Tea Race Collection

The large, neatly twisted leaves of this organic Oolong offering from Colombia produce a medium amber liquor with a fresh aroma reminiscent of a clean ocean breeze. The full-bodied cup is velvety smooth and bursting with a rich ambrosial flavor that fills your mouth with pronounced notes of honey and dried stone fruit. The finish is long and lingering.

With a tea growing history of over 900 years, the Bulang Mountain range of Yunnan province includes some of the most prized Pu-Erh production regions. The aroma reveals a woody/toasty/sweet earthy complexity, complemented by hints of cocoa. The velvety smooth, rounded cup is dark and rich with notes of molasses, chestnut and a hint of spice. The clean finish lingers with nuances of cinnamon and clove. Produced from a large-leaf varietal, this 4 ½ inch diameter round tea cake weighs approximately 95-100 grams and comes packaged in our silver packet.

This rare Assam Silver Tips tea is exclusively downy, silver-white tea tea buds. The pale golden cup offers a toasty aroma with gentle hints of fruit and corn silk. The buttery smooth mouth feel supports a complex flavor profile with ripe fruit hints, suggestive of melon and apricot. A fleeting whisper of Assam maltiness lingers in the sweet finish. A must try for white tea aficionados.

This exquisite golden-tipped Assam offering boasts vibrant aromatics and a coterie of rich flavors in the ruby-copper cup. Notes of malt, toffee, spice and cocoa reveal themselves more fully as the tea cools. A smooth yet lively mouth feel awakens the palate and lingers long into the finish.

This outstanding Yunnan black tea selection is composed of handcrafted golden tips with a beautiful downy appearance. The russet-amber liquor is fragrant with hints of molasses. Layers of cocoa, spice and earth weave together to create a rich flavor that is complemented by a caramelized sugar sweetness. A whisper of spice lingers in the finish.

The dark olive, neatly rolled leaves exude a fresh buttery fragrance with hints of flowers. The pale straw-colored liquor invites that first sip with its delightful floral aroma. A nectar-like sweetness complements notes of chestnut and mineral in the light toasty cup. The finish lingers with hints of honey.

From the “Four Season Spring” cultivar, this unique Formosa Oolong exhibits premium, loosely rolled leaves that produce a pale gold liquor with the heady scent of lilacs. A smooth, rich buttery mouth feel provides the perfect complement to the pronounced honey notes and intense floral character. The finish lingers with light hints of melon.

Hunan province has an auspicious history of producing superior green teas and this early spring harvest carries on that tradition. Bold, handcrafted leaves, threaded with downy silver tips, steep a pale yellow-jade liquor with a fresh vegetal aroma that hints of melon. This Pre-Chingming cup is silky smooth with gentle vegetal notes complemented by a light toastiness. Sweet hints of sugarcane bloom and linger long into the crisp finish.

This beautifully handcrafted Ceylon white tea showcases downy, silver-sage buds. The pale champagne-colored liquor has a fresh, inviting fragrance. A silky smooth mouth feel complements sweet notes of melon and apricot. A clean finish completes an outstanding tea experience.

Harvested on March 16th, this organic first flush Darjeeling selection offers bold leaves accented by a plethora of downy silver tips. The amber-gold cup exhibits a bright, refreshing character, which accentuates notes of honey, tropical fruit and melon. A crisp, clean finish completes a delightful tea experience.

Harvested on March 4th, 2021, this superior selection is the second plucking of the 2021 first flush season at the Upper division of Namring Estate, one of the oldest tea gardens in Darjeeling district. Ultra-bold leaves, in shades of olive green accented with silver tips, produce a pale amber-gold cup, fragrant with hints of tropical fruit. A smooth buttery mouth feel complements pronounced floral notes and hints of corn silk, enfolded in a rich honey sweetness that lingers long into the finish.

Darjeeling white tea leaves are expertly rolled into medium pearl shapes, which produce a pale-gold liquor with a sweet tropical fruit aroma. A buttery smooth mouth feel and gentle character pair well with a pronounced nectar-like sweetness that lingers long into the finish. Each 'moondrop' pearl weighs approximately 3-4 grams and is perfect for multiple steepings.

The dry leaves of this top-quality Oolong offering are fragrant and expertly rolled, producing a sparkling gold liquor with a sweet floral aroma. Notes of orchid are complemented by a buttery mouth feel in the silky smooth cup. Hints of honey lend a richness to the lingering finish. This tea is a great choice for multiple steepings.

Tiny mandarin oranges are dried and stuffed with Shou Pu-Erh leaves, creating this unique tea treat. The opaque, deep brown liquor is fragrant with hints of citrus zest and earth. A whisper of cocoa joins the citrus-earthy flavor in the cup, finishing on a brisk, lively note. Each 1.5" mandarin will yield approximately 4 cups of tea. This selection is perfect for multiple steepings.

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 classic Chinese Oolong was grown in the Wudong area of the Phoenix Mountains in Guangdong province. “Da Wu Ye,” meaning “big dark leaf,” refers to the elegantly long, dark green leaves of this most prized of Phoenix Oolong offerings. A gentle roasted aroma introduces the light amber liquor. Pronounced stone fruit notes and hints of honey highlight the rich ambrosial character and full mouth feel of this stellar selection. The finish is smooth and lingering.

A fresh vegetal aroma, reminiscent of newly cut grass, introduces this outstanding green tea offering from Colombia. Long, wiry leaves produce a pale gold liquor that hints of sugared tropical fruit embraced by a full buttery mouth feel. A gentle hint of evergreen lends a clean, crisp quality to the finish.

Harvested on March 6th, 2021, the very first plucking of the 2021 first flush season at Tindharia Estate, this outstanding selection displays beautiful leaves in shades of green, sprinkled with delicate, silvery tips. The fragrance is fresh and sweet, with hints of corn silk. The sparkling amber-gold cup is bursting with honey sweetness and rich floral notes reminiscent of a spring garden. A buttery smooth mouth feel supports light vegetal hints and a crisp, lively quality that lingers long into the finish. Savor each sip of this stellar offering.

Laced with downy silver tips, the bold olive-green leaves of this exquisite green tea selection yield a pale golden liquor with a fresh, delicate aroma, lightly vegetal and melon sweet. The silky smooth cup hints of honey, which enhances its light fruity/floral flavor. The finish lingers with a crispness reminiscent of a dry white wine.

Small, light-green tips yield a very pale golden liquor in this white tea offering from Mim Estate. The mouth feel is silky smooth and delicate yet the flavor reveals a rich complexity with hints of corn silk, light buttercup notes and a floral sweetness. A crisp, lingering finish completes an exceptional tea experience.

Harvested on February 26, 2021, this superlative first flush offering is the very first plucking of the 2021 season at the Rohini Estate, located in the Kurseong valley of Darjeeling district. The exquisite leaves display full leaf sets, crowned with downy silver tips. Accented by notes of honey and corn silk, the sweet aroma evokes the freshness of early spring. The delicate amber-gold cup is buttery smooth with classic floral notes, complemented by light vegetal hints. A lively crisp quality lingers in the finish, completing an unparalleled tea experience.

With the introduction of this special tea, Upton Tea Imports is proud to continue our tradition of being the first US tea company to offer the very first harvest from the first flush Darjeeling season of 2021.

The Fuding tea region of northeast Fujian province is well known for its preeminent white tea production, and this white tea cake is an outstanding example of its premium quality teas. The pale golden-amber liquor is smooth and silky with pronounced honey notes in both the aroma and the flavor. Hints of stone fruit linger in the finish. Produced from a large-leaf varietal, this 4 ½ inch diameter round tea cake weighs approximately 95-100 grams and comes packaged in our silver packet.

We are excited to offer this outstanding black tea selection as most teas of this superior quality do not leave China. Less than 9 kilograms was produced in Tong Mu, located high in the Wuyi Mountains (formerly Bohea Hills) of northern Fujian province. The large wiry, ebony-brown leaves yield a dark ruby-amber liquor with an inviting caramel aroma hinting of marzipan. The exquisitely smooth cup fills your mouth with a rich depth of flavor – toasted almond notes, hints of warming spices and honeyed apricot, a whisper of earthy smokiness – all embraced by a sweet syrupy quality. The finish lingers with a whisper of spice. This stellar selection is truly a joy to savor.

Decorated with downy silver tips, the bold olive-green leaves of this 2020 first flush selection produce a refreshing, amber-gold cup filled with tropical fruit sweetness. A light stone fruit aroma is complemented by crisp hints of white wine that linger in the smooth finish.

Harvested on March 13th, the bold, attractive leaves of Balasun Estate’s very first 2021 plucking are sprinkled with a fair complement of silvery tips. The fresh aroma is delicate, with honeyed floral hints. The amber-gold cup is exceptional, with rich floral notes enhanced by a silky smooth mouth feel. A tropical fruit sweetness leads to a crisp, lingering finish.

Located in the hills of eastern Nepal, the Jun Chiyabari (“Moon-lit Tea Garden”) Estate has been producing premium teas since 2001. In this outstanding 2020 first flush offering, silvery tips decorate ultra-bold, handcrafted leaves, yielding a vibrant golden cup fragrant with a fresh floral aroma. A buttery smooth mouth feel pairs with pronounced floral notes and a sugarcane sweetness. A lingering finish heightens a superlative tea experience.

With a tea growing history of over 900 years, the Bulang Mountain range of Yunnan province includes some of the most prized Pu-Erh production regions. In the pale rosy-amber cup, a complex aroma introduces notes of earth and fleeting whispers of fruit and smoke. The flavor is rich with pronounced stone fruit notes of plum and apricot wrapped in honey sweetness, a mouth-filling nectar-like quality. Produced from a large-leaf varietal, this 4 ½ inch diameter round tea cake weighs approximately 95-100 grams and comes packaged in our silver packet.

Located in the Dooars region at the southern edge of Darjeeling district, the Nuxalbari Estate is a tea garden dedicated to the safety of Asian elephants and their environments. This organic second flush premium black tea offers a sweet aroma that hints of honey and flowers. The velvety smooth, amber liquor is notable for its full mouth feel and perfumed floral quality, complemented by pronounced honey notes. The finish is crisp and lingering.

Elegant, downy gold tips are showcased in this superb black tea offering from Yunnan province. A sweet cocoa aroma pairs well with toasty/biscuity notes in the thick, rich cup. A silky smooth mouth feel envelops hints of cocoa that linger long into the finish.

A fine complement of golden tips sets this stylish selection apart. The flavor has classic Burgundy-like Keemun notes, with subtle smokiness and a hint of cocoa. This one comes close to the Hao-Ya 'A' Keemun of days past.

This exquisite organic Oolong selection showcases handcrafted full-leaf sets, produced from a fine plucking. The pale straw-colored cup has a honey-sweet character, fragrant with notes of dried fruit. A silky smooth mouth feel introduces notes of apricot, complemented by a green grape crispness that lingers into the finish.

Bright-green young leaf buds provide a stunning visual appearance in this early spring loose leaf Chinese yellow tea. The apricot-gold liquor has a sweet, invigorating fragrance, which portends a lively mouth feel and notes of tropical fruit that expand as the tea cools. The finish lingers on a crisp note.