Tea is an extremely popular beverage around the world, coming in second to coffee as the most popular beverage in the world. Typically packaged in a porous bag, tea leaves are soaked in hot water for a short time to create the drink we all know as tea. Tea can be served hot or ice cold. White tea, Green tea, Oolong, Black/Red Tea, and Yellow teas are among the most commonly enjoyed teas. Since first being discovered in China around 2000 BC, tea has evolved into a lucrative, worldwide market that has created some expensive teas most people wouldn’t dream of buying, let alone drinking.
The most expensive teabag in the world
(via Ananova)
If you consider yourself a tea connoisseur of sorts and love to drink expensive cups of tea, the Ritz Carlton of Hong Kong boast the world’s most expensive High Tea at a price of $8,888 per couple. Of course, you’ll get all sorts of high-priced finger foods too. Furthermore, if you’re into tea culture enough to buy accessories, nothing says you’re rich like this handcrafted diamond teabag worth £7,500 (US $15,250), made by Boodles jewelers to celebrate PG Tips’ 75th birthday. The most expensive teabag in the world contains 280 diamonds and is being used to raise money for a children’s charity in Manchester, England.
The name Darjeeling also may ring a bell when thinking of expensive teas. Probably the most famous type of tea in the industry, it is so expensive because its best plants are grown on steep and dangerous slopes around the India, Nepal, and Bhutan border that range from 5,000 to 8,000 feet above sea level.
A Darjeeling tea
The Silver Tips teas made by the Makaibari estate brand in 2003 made headlines for reaching prices of $400 US for one kilogram. In 2007, depending on market prices and the season, a single-estate Darjeeling will cost about $25 to $100 US per pound at retail, but the most expensive Darjeelings are currently fetching prices of about $3,300 US per kilogram (2.2 pounds).
The most expensive tea in the world, however, is a rare Chinese tea called Tieguanyin, which is priced at £1,700 per kilo (that’s around $1,500/lb). The tea is named after the Buddhist deity Guan Yin (Iron Goddess of Mercy). It’s an oolong tea, meaning its oxidization is somewhere between that of black and green teas. Luckily for anyone who buys this expensive tea, a leaf can be brewed up to seven times before it loses its flavor.
Tieguanyin leaves and tea
{ 32 comments… read them below or add one }
this is delicious. I buy the tea by the hundred for me and my little Poodle, Mr.Fluffypoo
Darjeeling really is the best though, isn’t it? I don’t anything really compares. I love it.
I am more of an Earl Grey man myself. Comparably Darjeeling is tasteless. It has to do with the bergamot orange additive.
Yes, it's just a matter of personal taste! Darjeeling is much more subtle, and if you're looking for a strong tea, most Darjeeling will disappoint.
It bugs me when people act like there is one universal type of "best tea". What's best for one person may not even be enjoyed by another.
Personally? I love both Darjeeling and Earl Grey.
Tea is always good when made correctly. It is your Intention when you drink it that is the most important. Not the cost. Tea is a religious experience when drunk naked whilst sitting in the snow. Highly recommended.
chinese tea is best.100%
i love to drink tea, but you guys all sound nuts.
oh, i didn’t know that tieguanyin is expensive.
Probably because you buy it by ounce
Oh my,this tea is one of the best I have ever tasted. It just keeps you all warm and cosy! Oh and darling I give it to my dog also. Miss.Flitterpoo
Not to “prove anyone wrong” or anything.. but there is also Da Hong Pao tea, of which very little is harvested per year and has been auctioned to bidders for hundreds of thousands of dollars per KG. (There are now cheaper varieties, but the tea harvested from the 4 original plants is very rare)
I doubt this is accurate. There are Pu Erh teas which easily sell for thousands for a brick or cake (250 to 350 grams).
I like tea but i never thought you could get diamond teabags!!! I am 13 and thing tea costing thousands is ridiculous!!
I’ve had this tea and it’s worth every penny!!!
For a URL/website which is specifically about tea, this article has quite a few things wrong.
I doubt coffee is drunk more then tea in the world, unless you consider the USA as the world
India and China are a sizeable chunk of the world.
Red and black tea are two different types of tea.
Pur eh is not even mentioned.
As is mentioned above Da Hong Pao can be insanely priced depending on the quality.
And in reference to Darjeeling tea, there is no best, it is what you like and they have been making tea in China vastly longer then in India.
This tea is incredibly good. I love drinking this while reading a fine book in front of my fireplace. Seriously it’s worth the price I buy me some every week or two, it amazing and you should try it.
I would bet there are aged Pu Erhs that can beat that.
has anyone heard of oolong costing $1000.00 per lb. I spose there may be some high quality for this price?
china is the king of expensive tea’s….
The Da Hong Pao tea is actually the most expensive tea in the world, it has sold in auctions with a value of over $1000 USD per gram. Unfortunately though, it is not available to the public. A good tea buff can probably hint you on getting hold of some though… if the price is right.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Da_Hong_Pao_tea
Da hong pao is not always that expensive, and IS available to the general public. The batches that you mention are special batches and are not typical indicators of this style of tea. RateTea.net, which I run, lists eight different sources of it, and none of them reach this price range:
http://ratetea.net/style/da-hong-pao/143/
I've tried two different sources (not either listed there, unfortunately). Both were outstanding, and were certainly not cheap, but were nothing like the price you suggest here.
Nigel tea is the second most popular drink in the world after water
I have just tried this remarkable Oolong Tea, Tie Guan Yin, thanks to a small free sample from this UK Tea Shop. Brew after brew has tasted delicious as its small curly leaves transform into elegant shapely ones. Well worth the price of a good bottle of wine and much longer lasting.
Im utterly astonished and disappointed that earl grey isnt on their! Theres nothing like a nice cup of earl grey with some sugar and a squeese of lemon!
da hong pao's definitely more expensive.
i can offer so many tieguanyin tea in very cheap price
my email: gobuyvogue2@hotmail.com
if you need something,contact me now
i love tea
Gunpowder!
New tea shop http://www.tealux.ca
Tea, in its natural form is best drunk at its origin. Try going to Sri Lanka sometime and stay at one the many beautiful 'Tea-Trail' villas. The view, the atmosphere and the taste is second to non!
My grandfather does business with Asians sometimes, and a contact gave him some of the Tieguanyin. It really is amazing
He left some steeping overnight by accident – still tasted like flowers. He gave me a packet (enough for two or three cups), and I'm saving it for a special occasion…
Sheesh, diamonds? If you're going to spend so much on tea, spend it in a way that actually affects the quality and taste of the product. X_X
Like Darjeeling, as was mentioned. First flush single estate darjeeling can be expensive, but IMO it's worth it. I treated myself to 4oz of single estate first flush darjeeling last summer, and it is SO DELICIOUS. Plus since a good black tea can be steeped at least 3 times, it goes a longer way than one would expect. I still have some of it in my cabinet.