How to Find Your Tea (and Why to Keep Looking)
Not sure where to start with tea? Use what you already love, from coffee to wine to dessert, to find teas you will enjoy, then keep exploring.
Finding your tea is a lot like finding a favorite book. There's no single right answer, and half the fun is in the looking. If tea has ever tasted bitter, thin or just plain boring to you, good news: you probably haven't met the right one yet. Start with flavors you already enjoy and let them point you somewhere delicious.
Start with what you already love
If you love coffee
Look for body and depth. Malty Assam, toasty roasted oolong and earthy pu-erh all have the kind of weight coffee drinkers expect from a mug. Start with Coffee Switchers or read our five teas for coffee drinkers. Nobody's asking you to break up with coffee. Tea is happy to take the afternoon shift.
If you love wine
Go for teas with terroir and aroma. Darjeeling is sometimes called the champagne of teas for its muscatel notes, and high mountain oolongs from Taiwan are floral and layered. See Rare & Single Estate.
If you love fresh, bright flavors
Green and white teas are crisp and gentle. Start with a Chinese green like Long Jing or a delicate white tea.
If you have a sweet tooth
Flavored blends are a friendly way in. Try chocolatey Cherry Falls Chocolate or the bergamot and vanilla of Fog Horn Grey. Dessert in a mug, minus the dishes.
If you prefer no caffeine
Herbal blends and rooibos offer plenty of flavor. Browse Herbal & Caffeine-free.
Learn to taste like a pro (no snobbery required)
- Smell the dry leaf. Notice what it reminds you of: hay, chocolate, flowers, toast.
- Look at the cup. Pale gold, amber or deep red tells you a lot about the style.
- Sip and pause. Pay attention to texture. Is it light or thick? Smooth or brisk?
- Notice the finish. What hangs around after you swallow? Sweetness, dryness, a floral echo?
There are no wrong answers. If a tea reminds you of your grandmother's garden, that's a perfectly good tasting note. So is "tastes like a campfire I liked."
Brew it right before you judge it
Plenty of "I don't like tea" moments are really brewing problems. Water that's too hot makes green tea bitter, and too little leaf makes any tea thin. Our brewing guide fixes most of these in a few minutes.
Try a sampler
Samplers let you taste around without committing to a full bag. Think of it as speed dating for your taste buds. The Organic Nepal Tea Sampler and Oolong Tea Sampler are great places to start. See all samplers and tasting sets.
Why keep looking?
Your taste changes. The tea you love in October might not be the one you crave in June. Harvests change too, so the same tea can taste a little different from one year to the next. We think that's part of the joy. Jot down what you liked and why, and let it lead you to the next cup.
Quick answers
What is the easiest tea for beginners?
A smooth black tea or a gentle flavored blend. Both are forgiving to brew and easy to love.
Why does my tea taste bitter?
Usually the water was too hot or the tea steeped too long. Try cooler water and a shorter steep before you give up on it.
How do I find tea similar to one I like?
Look at its type and origin, then try another tea from the same category or country.
