Create Your Perfect Tea Blend

The UK consumes around 100 million cups of tea per day, which is about three cups per person over the age of 10!  Now you can create your perfect blend from a range of our premium botanicals. From soothing chamomile to vibrant hibiscus, explore our products and craft your ideal brew.

Botanicals for Every Blend

Here are some of our botanicals we can suggest for your tea ingredient list – and why.

• Raspberry Leaves are used in tea for their mild, earthy flavour and traditional benefits, including support for digestion and women’s health.
• Peppermint are used in tea for their refreshing flavour, natural digestive benefits, and soothing properties.
• Sunflower Petals add a mild, honey-like sweetness and a vibrant golden hue to tea, enhancing both its flavour and visual appeal.
• Fennel is used in tea for its naturally sweet, anise-like flavour and its reputed digestive benefits, making it a soothing and aromatic choice.
• Hibiscus Flowers create a slightly tangy red infusion, which is high in vitamin C and antioxidants, which can help lower blood pressure and improve cholesterol levels.
• Chamomile has traditionally been used for relaxation and to help reduce stress and anxiety.
• Rooibos Tea is a red tea, known to be rich in antioxidants and polyphenols such as aspalathin, which is thought to help manage blood sugar regulation and can benefit heart health.
• Pink Rose Buds are used in tea to create a mild sweetness, and contain a high level of antioxidants and polyphenols, known to help reduce inflammation and support the immune system.
• Lavender is widely known for relaxation, stress reduction, and therefore improving sleep quality.
• Rosehips Whole are high in vitamin C and other vitamins and minerals such as magnesium and are therefore known to support the immune system and could help reduce inflammation.
• Rosehips Cut Fine have the same properties as whole rosehips, using cut fine rosehips reduces the brewing and steeping time but still has the same earthy and floral flavour.

The Health Benefits of Tea

Tea has a rich and fascinating history that spans thousands of years, crossing cultures, continents, and traditions. From its ancient origins in China to becoming a global commodity, tea has evolved into one of the world’s most popular beverages.

According to legends, the Chinese Emperor Shen Nong (considered to be the father of Chinese Agriculture) discovered tea completely accidentally, when tea leaves fell into some boiling water, it is said that he consumed this infusion and regarded it as refreshing, marking the beginning of tea consumption.

Tea markets have noted a huge increase in caffeine-free wellness teas, with an increased demand in fruity, floral and spiced flavours. Not only for health benefits, but traditions also such as taking “afternoon tea” have continued to increase the demand for unique and speciality teas.

Initially it is thought that teas were used medicinally before becoming more widely consumed as a beverage. According to the UK Tea & Infusions Association, over 5 billion cups of tea are consumed globally each day, making tea the second most consumed beverage after water. China remains the largest producer of teas, manufacturing 2,230,000 tonnes per year.

Tea is said to contain many health promoting compounds, which is potentially why it has become a core staple across the world. One of those compounds is L-Theanine, an amino acid found in tea that is thought to promote relaxation without drowsiness, helping to reduce stress and anxiety. It may also enhance focus and cognitive function by increasing alpha brain wave activity, which is associated with a calm yet alert mental state. So, we don’t just think it’s relaxing, it actually is.

The Tradition of Afternoon Tea

Modern day Mothering Sunday traditions in the UK, often revolve around the quintessential English custom of afternoon tea. These indulgent events aren’t just tea, they usually consist of an array of cakes, scones and sandwiches which accompany the tea. Thought to have originated during the mid-19th century, Anna, the seventh Duchess of Bedford, experienced hunger mid-afternoon waiting for her supper to be served at 8 pm. She habitually requested tea, cakes and sandwiches to satisfy her and is thought to have eventually begun inviting friends to join her. This pause for tea and food became a fashionable event which has continued into modern times and become a popular event to celebrate Mothering Sunday, baby showers, birthdays, etc.

The afternoon tea menus are often created to complement the tea blends that form part of the menu, and in some cases the food and the tea are regularly updated to match seasonal trends and flavours. Premium venues, such as The Ritz, have a certified Tea Master who travels the world sourcing teas and creating their own blends.