Training Example: Rare Tea Company – Review the Data, Give Your Score & Compare to the Real AI Evaluation

[H1]
The world's best loose leaf tea - responsibly, sustainably and ethically sourced, direct from farmers and their tea gardens.
Tea that's good for you, good for the land, and good for the people who craft it.
SHOP LOOSE LEAF TEA

[H2]
Don't just take our word for it...
Trustpilot

Some of the amazing restaurants, hotels, bars and bakeries who we work with:

[H2]
Our bestsellers...
If you are new to loose leaf tea and aren't sure where to start; selecting a tea gift for a friend, or just a tea lover spoilt for choice, our Rare Tea bestsellers are here to help you choose.

[IMG: A tin of Rare Tea Company Rare Earl Grey on a white tablecloth with vintage teaware in the background.]

[IMG: Person pouring tea from a teapot into a tea cup, with a tin of Rare Tea Company Rare Earl Grey and an opened delivery box in the background.]

Rare Earl Grey Tea

[H3]
Rare Earl Grey Tea

Regular price
From £7.49

Regular price

£0.00

Sale price
From £7.49

£0.00
£0.21

per cup

81 reviews

[IMG: A tin of Rare Tea Company Silver Tip Jasmine tea on a white tablecloth with vintage teaware in the background.]

[IMG: Loose leaf silver tip white tea on a white ceramic plate.]

Silver Tip Jasmine Tea

[H3]
Silver Tip Jasmine Tea

Regular price
From £10.49

Regular price

£0.00

Sale price
From £10.49

£0.00
£0.46

per cup

91 reviews

[IMG: tin of Rare Tea Company Single Estate Lost Malawi English Breakfast loose leaf tea]

[IMG: pouring milk into a cup of Single Estate Lost Malawi English Breakfast tea]

Single Estate Lost Malawi English Breakfast

[H3]
Single Estate Lost Malawi English Breakfast

Regular price
From £7.49

Regular price

£0.00

Sale price
From £7.49

£0.00
£0.21

per cup

57 reviews

[IMG: RAFA Tea for Heroes English Breakfast]

[IMG: image of 3 people drinking the RAF tea for heroes on while sitting on an RAF plane]

RAFA Tea for Heroes English Breakfast

[H3]
RAFA Tea for Heroes English Breakfast

Regular price
From £7.99

Regular price

£0.00

Sale price
From £7.99

£0.00
£0.20

per cup

61 reviews

[IMG: Silver Tip White]

[IMG: Silver Tip White]

Silver Tip White

[H3]
Silver Tip White

Regular price
£13.49

Regular price

£0.00

Sale price
£13.49

£0.00
£0.54

per cup

43 reviews

[IMG: tin of Rare Tea Company Whole Leaf Loose Leaf Green Tea]

[IMG: picture of chinese farmet harvest green tea leaves with the rare tea lady]

Chinese Whole Leaf Green

Sold out

[H3]
Chinese Whole Leaf Green

Regular price
From £5.49

Regular price

£0.00

Sale price
From £5.49

£0.00
£0.26

per cup

38 reviews

Sold out

[IMG: A tin of Rare Tea Company South African Wild Rooibos tea on a white tablecloth with vintage teaware in the background.]

[IMG: A person pouring rooibos tea from a gaiwan into a teacup and saucer, through a strainer. There is a tin of Rare Tea Company South African Wild Rooibos tea and a dish for the strainer to sit in.]

South African Wild Rooibos Tea

Caffeine Free

[H3]
South African Wild Rooibos Tea

Regular price
From £7.99

Regular price

£0.00

Sale price
From £7.99

£0.00
£0.23

per cup

44 reviews

[IMG: tin of Rare Tea Company Speedy Breakfast Loose leaf tea]

[IMG: women drinking a mug of Speedy english breakfast tea with milk]

Speedy Breakfast

[H3]
Speedy Breakfast

Regular price
From £5.99

Regular price

£0.00

Sale price
From £5.99

£0.00
£0.30

per cup

44 reviews

[IMG: tin of Rare Tea Company Whole Chamomile Flowers]

[IMG: individual flowers of our chamomile tea]

Whole Chamomile Flowers

Caffeine Free

[H3]
Whole Chamomile Flowers

Regular price
From £7.49

Regular price

£0.00

Sale price
From £7.49

£0.00
£0.23

per cup

20 reviews

[IMG: tin of Rare Tea Company Chinese Tie Guan Yin Oolong loose leaf tea]

[IMG: women pouring a mug of Chinese Tie Guan Yin Oolong loose leaf tea]

Chinese Tie Guan Yin Oolong

[H3]
Chinese Tie Guan Yin Oolong

Regular price
From £7.49

Regular price

£0.00

Sale price
From £7.49

£0.00
£0.17

per cup

17 reviews

1
/
of
10

View all

From a selection of the most lovingly blended English Breakfast teas to the most delicious selection of unique, single estate green teas, white teas, oolongs, black teas, pu'er and herbal tea infusions we have everything here to make your heart sing.You'll find the best teapots, teacups and tea strainers - all you could need to enjoy the simple luxury of loose leaf tea.

"Lapsang for a long time has been the only tea I really like, but the one you gave me is so subtle and refined..."Daniel Day LewisActor

“She [Henrietta] busies herself promoting those farmers around the world who grow tea and tend to it with the care and compassion that is so ancient and elemental a beverage deserves and rightly demands.”Simon WinchesterNew York Times

"Tea to Henrietta is like a teddy bear to a child."René RedzepiNoma

"Henrietta's white silver tip tea is simply exquisite."Anjelica HoustonActor

"The Rare Tea Company exemplifies the very best of quality food and drink in Britain today..."Jay RaynerFood Critic

"Rare Tea Company creates teas of outstanding quality and aroma. They offer the finest full leaves with intense flavours and Henrietta Lovell provides an excellent service."Tom AikensChef

BUY LOOSE LEAFBLACK TEA
SHOP NOW

BUY LOOSE LEAFTEAWARE
SHOP NOW

BUY LOOSE LEAFHERBAL TEA
SHOP NOW

BUY LOOSE LEAFTEA SUBSCRIPTIONS
SHOP NOW

BUY LOOSE LEAFGREEN TEA
SHOP NOW

BUY LOOSE LEAFGIFT SETS
SHOP NOW

BUY LOOSE LEAFWHITE TEA
SHOP NOW

BUY LOOSE LEAFMATCHA TEA
SHOP NOW

BUY LOOSE LEAFOOLONG TEA
SHOP NOW

The Rare Tea difference...

[IMG: icon of a plant growing and the sun]

Unique TerroirsWe travel the world in search of the best, independent tea gardens; growing and crafting teas for quality over quantity, under organic farming principles.
FIND OUT MORE

[IMG: icon of two hands over a coin]

Direct TradeWe buy direct from farmers at the price they ask, building long term sustainable relationships. We don’t buy from brokers or commodity markets.
FIND OUT MORE

[IMG: icon of arrows around a plan representing sustainability]

SustainabilityAll our teas are grown under organic principles and only loose leaf. No single use of precious natural resources, no industrial chemicals, no microplastics.
FIND OUT MORE

[IMG: Rare Charity logo]

Rare CharitySupporting long term social change by reinvesting a direct percentage of revenue into educational scholarships on our partner farms.
FIND OUT MORE

1
/
of
4

Rare Tea in the press:

FIND OUT MORE

[IMG: bbc logo]

[IMG: new york times logo]

[IMG: financial times logo]

[IMG: the guardian logo]

[IMG: the observer logo]

[IMG: time magazine logo]

[IMG: the times logo]

[IMG: daily mail logo]

[IMG: grazia logo]

1
/
of
10

FIND OUT MORE

[H2]
Rare Tea Journal

[IMG: Kettles, teapots & other times I lost the plot: an American at the heart of British tea]

[H3]
Kettles, teapots & other times I lost the plot:...

March 26, 2026I'm Ian, Rare Tea's in-house American in charge of all things creative. London is home now, and I'm by no means a tea expert — but I've noticed some interesting...

[H3]
Kettles, teapots & other times I lost the plot:...

March 26, 2026I'm Ian, Rare Tea's in-house American in charge of all things creative. London is home now, and I'm by no means a tea expert — but I've noticed some interesting...

[IMG: What is Ceremonial Grade Matcha?]

[H3]
What is Ceremonial Grade Matcha?

October 14, 2025Ceremonial matcha has become the most common English name for the highly addictive, top grade of Japanese matcha. What does 'ceremonial' grade mean? And why does this name get some...

[H3]
What is Ceremonial Grade Matcha?

October 14, 2025Ceremonial matcha has become the most common English name for the highly addictive, top grade of Japanese matcha. What does 'ceremonial' grade mean? And why does this name get some...

[IMG: Healthy soil means incredible tea]

[H3]
Healthy soil means incredible tea

August 1, 2025Sakamoto's soil has gone viral (again) with over 6 million views (and counting) on our Instagram and Youtube. Clearly, people are super into soil! So we wanted to share its...

[H3]
Healthy soil means incredible tea

August 1, 2025Sakamoto's soil has gone viral (again) with over 6 million views (and counting) on our Instagram and Youtube. Clearly, people are super into soil! So we wanted to share its...

[IMG: The packaging labyrinth – change is here]

[H3]
The packaging labyrinth – change is here

June 6, 2025Here we are, two and a half years since we last talked about our packaging. A lot has happened once again. I had a baby pretty much right after the...

[H3]
The packaging labyrinth – change is here

June 6, 2025Here we are, two and a half years since we last talked about our packaging. A lot has happened once again. I had a baby pretty much right after the...

1
/
of
4

[H1]
Why is Rare Tea Different?

For generations, tea has been a very exploitative industry. Today, big brands engage in price wars in the supermarkets hoping to win your loyalty with the lowest prices. They don’t want to lose profit so they put the burden on the farmers - paying less and less for tea. Quality drops and marginalised farming communities are forced into ever deeper poverty.

MALAWI
[H2]
Alexander Kay, Satemwa Estate
Alex Kay a tea farmer in Malawi puts it succinctly:“It’s a race to the bottom.”Life expectancy in tea communities can be as low as the early 40's.We don’t want to be any part of that. We hope you won't either.

[H3]
We support the three pillars of sustainability:

[IMG: icon of two hands over a coin]

Economic

Social

[IMG: icon of a plant growing and the sun]

Environmental

[H2]
Economic Sustainability
Tea can be bought for a few dollars a kilo - or for thousands. All the things you know about wine are true of tea; the plant varietal, the unique growing conditions, when and how it is harvested, and of course, how it is crafted.

APPRECIATION
[H2]
From the first sip...
Unlike wine, it only costs a few pence more per cup to drink the best tea in the world. With wine, knowledge and expertise are often required to identify the good stuff. Even experienced sommeliers can be fooled. With loose leaf tea we can all appreciate it from the first sip. From builders to Michelin-starred chefs, the luxury of hand-crafted, loose leaf tea is a revelation and a pleasure.And it’s an affordable luxury.  When you consider what we are prepared to pay for a mediocre take-away coffee – good tea is comparatively very cheap.

"Where once we only had industrial granules we now have fragrant coffee beans. Beside malt vinegar in cupboards across the country there is cider, sherry and aged balsamic. Where there was only vegetable oil the nation has embraced extra virgin olive. Now it's teas time."Henrietta Lovell - Founder and Tea Lady

OUR FULL RANGE

[H2]
The impact for the communities
By buying better tea we are all rewarded. By choosing tea for quality over price we are supporting skilled men and women in marginalised rural communities and getting better flavour.

VALUABLE LEAF
[H2]
A hopeful future
Our farmers craft more valuable leaf in exchange for a better price. They are hoping their efforts to create something wonderful will give us something we will be happy to pay for.  And you only have to try it to understand that they are not wrong to put their faith in a new tea trade. One sip of their tea and the future looks decidedly more hopeful.

[H2]
Social Sustainbility
We work with men and women who hand craft tea in small batches, not vast machines churning out an industrial product. They have inherited generations of skill and are fiercely proud of what they do; we are proud to work with them.

[H2]
Better tea, better jobs
Better tea brings more and better jobs.  Better prices bring better wages. We work alongside our farms – investing in infrastructure and guaranteeing harvests and prices.

REVENUE, NOT PROFIT
[H2]
Fairtrade, our way.
We no longer work with the Fairtrade organisation.  We realised we could have more impact by working directly with our farms. We return a percentage of our revenue (not profit that can be fudged) to Rare Charity supporting educational scholarships on our partner farms.
Find out more about Rare Charity

[H2]
Environmental Sustainability
Rich biodiversity is crucial to the future of tea. Chemical pesticides and herbicides damage the diverse flora and fauna of tea gardens and the soil that sustains them. The richer the terroir the better the flavour of tea. And we really don’t want a load of chemicals on our leaves that will get into us.

We only work with farmers using organic principles who don’t use chemical pesticide or herbicides.However, small producers don't always have the money or manpower necessary for the complex and very costly process of organic certification. Though the organic bodies might be no-profit organisations the certification companies are not.

NEPAL
[H2]
Jun Chiyabari
Our Nepali teas are grown in the untouched foothills of the Himalayas by the the Jun Chiyabari Tea Garden.  They create their incredible tea without any chemicals and are organically certified.

Certification is far easier to arrange for big agri-businesses.We have deliberated very carefully over labelling any of our teas organic (even the ones that do have certification).  We worry that it would disadvantage the smaller farms we most admire, who are just as organic but can’t afford to certify.We have our teas tested – taking on the burden of responsibility not placing it on the farmer.  This means we don’t have the convenience of a stamp but think true sustainability goes beyond that.

SOUTH AFRICA
[H2]
Cederberg Mountains
Dr. Strauss, in the Cederberg Mountains of South Africa, carefully harvests his Wild Rooibos on horseback to protect the delicate ecosystem.

MALAWI
[H2]
Satemwa Estate
Alexander Kay of Satemwa Estate, Malawi, uses wood from sustainable forestry to power his farm. He maintains virgin tracts of native forest across the farm for migration routes.

We use tins rather than paper, because tea must be protected from light, air and moisture - but our tin is recyclable and reusable.Our shipping boxes are recyclable and are often reused. We use recycled shredded cardboard and acid-free tissue paper to pack our boxes.

LIFETIME
[H2]
Reducing waste
By drinking loose leaf instead of tea bags you are helping to reduce waste. Not only are the bags wasteful in themselves, using up precious resources for a single use, but they are made using industrial chemicals, bleaches, glues and nano-plastics.A teapot lasts for ever, and can be passed on for generations - flooding your life with pleasure.

Skip to product information

[IMG: A tin of Rare Tea Company South African Wild Rooibos tea on a white tablecloth with vintage teaware in the background.]

Open media 1 in modal

[IMG: A person pouring rooibos tea from a gaiwan into a teacup and saucer, through a strainer. There is a tin of Rare Tea Company South African Wild Rooibos tea and a dish for the strainer to sit in.]

Open media 2 in modal

[IMG: Dried rooibos tea leaves spilling out of a ceramic bowl on a wooden surface]

Open media 3 in modal

[IMG: Rooibos plant with small yellow flowers against a clear blue Cedarberg mountains sky.]

Open media 4 in modal

Why this herbal infusion is so good

1
/
of
5

Your browser does not support the video tag.

Home

/

Loose Leaf Tea

/

Herbal Tea

[H1]
South African Wild Rooibos Tea

44 reviews

Regular price
£8.99

Regular price

£0.00

Sale price
£8.99

£0.00
£0.23

per cup

Sale
Sold out

Style

Tin (incl. 50g Refill Bag)Variant sold out or unavailable

50g Refill BagVariant sold out or unavailable

250g BagVariant sold out or unavailable

Quantity

(0 in cart)

Decrease quantity for South African Wild Rooibos Tea

Increase quantity for South African Wild Rooibos Tea

Couldn't load pickup availability
Refresh

The real South African redbush tea. Beyond organic, this Rooibos is harvested completely wild in its indigenous habitat in the Cederberg Mountains.
Naturally caffeine free.

[H2]
Wild Rooibos Tasting Notes

A richly delicious infusion with deep earthy notes, bright red berries and cedar. Can be beautifully enhanced by the addition of a twist of lemon zest. If you enjoy sweetening your tea, Rooibos turns to caramel with a delicate drop of maple syrup.

[H2]
Origin

Cederberg mountains, Western Cape, South Africa

[H2]
Cost Per Cup

£0.23
per cup based on 2.5g of tea per 150ml of water and 2 infusions.

Share

Share

Link

Close share

Copy link

View full details

[IMG: A tin of Rare Tea Company South African Wild Rooibos tea on a white tablecloth with vintage teaware in the background.]
[IMG: A person pouring rooibos tea from a gaiwan into a teacup and saucer, through a strainer. There is a tin of Rare Tea Company South African Wild Rooibos tea and a dish for the strainer to sit in.]
[IMG: Dried rooibos tea leaves spilling out of a ceramic bowl on a wooden surface]
[IMG: Rooibos plant with small yellow flowers against a clear blue Cedarberg mountains sky.]

[H2]
How to infuse our Wild Rooibos Tea:

[H3] Quantity
Use 2.5g of leaf per 150ml of water.

[H3] Temperature
For the optimum infusion use 100°C water.

[H3] Time
Infuse for 1 - 3 minutes, tasting regularly.

[H3] Infusions
You can infuse this tea at least twice. With each careful infusion, different subtleties of flavour are revealed.

1
/
of
3

[H3] Quantity
Use 0.1 oz of leaf per 5.5 fl oz of water.

[H3] Temperature
For the optimum infusion use 212°F water.

[H3] Time
Infuse for 1 - 3 minutes, tasting regularly.

[H3] Infusions
You can infuse this tea at least twice. With each careful infusion, different subtleties of flavour are revealed.

1
/
of
3

[H3] Quantity
Use 1 level tsp. per 150ml of water.

[H3] Temperature
For the optimum infusion use 100°C water.

[H3] Time
Infuse for 1 - 3 minutes, tasting regularly.

[H3] Infusions
You can infuse this tea at least twice. With each careful infusion, different subtleties of flavour are revealed.

1
/
of
3

[H3]
More infusion tips

How to infuse your rooibos tea is very personal, and these are just our recommendations based on experience. Please experiment with these variables to your heart's delight; this is a starting point for our Wild Rooibos, not hard and fast rules. The most delicious tea is the one you love.
Our guide uses a standard tea cup size (150ml/5.5 oz) as a measure, please adjust the quantity of rooibos accordingly for less or more water. Our whole loose leaves are of such a high quality that you can infuse our teas at least twice, and the second infusion is often better than the first, with different flavours revealed as the leaf softens. If you prefer your tea stronger, add more leaf, don’t leave it for longer (this will just make it bitter).

[H2]
Try Wild Rooibos and our other most popular herbal teas in our marvellous Herbal Tea Gift Set!
Herbal Tea Gift Set

[IMG: Cederberg desert landscape with a road and blue sky with clouds.]

Cederberg Mountains
South Africa

[IMG: Short, stubby wild rooibos plants in the Cederberg mountains.]

[H2]
Rooibos "Red Bush" Tea
This is no ordinary tea harvest. But then Rooibos (Afrikaans for 'red bush') is no ordinary tea. Strictly speaking a legume, the needle-like leaves produce a deeply delicious caffeine-free drink. It has been used as a medicine to cure innumerable ills and drunk for pleasure for many thousands of years by the people of this area.

[IMG: Two people riding horses on a dirt path past wild rooibos in the Cederberg mountains with the sun shining brightly in the background.]

[H2]
Harvested on horseback to protect the local ecosystem
This is real bush-tea - it's beyond organic and indigenous. To protect the delicate ecosystem of the Cederberg Mountains it's harvested on horseback with machetes, ensuring no damage is done to the fragile local environment.This is sustainable farming at its best.

[IMG: Henrietta Lovell & Dr. Frikkie Strauss standing with a horse in the Cederberg Mountains.]

[H2]
Where is our rooibos tea sourced from?
We source it from a farmer who is also the local GP - Dr. Frikkie Strauss. He is an amazing man who is not just interested in saving people but the environment and the endangered local Cape Leopard.

[H2]
Rooibos Hangover Rescue Recipe
An extract from "Infused: Adventures in Tea"...
"It's our wild rooibos, sweetened with a bit of maple syrup, brought alive by a squeeze of lemon juice or a spritz of lemon zest and balanced, like a salty caramel, with a single grain of sea salt. It's smooth, deep and mellow and, goddamn it, I think it really works. Rooibos has been used for thousands of years by local tribesman in Africa to treat dehydration. The maple and the salt provide the necessary electrolytes to make it isotonic.Use 3g of rooibos tea per 150ml of boiling water and steep for three to five minutes. Strain and stir in: half to one teaspoon of maple syrup, according to preference; a squeeze of lemon; and a flake of sea salt. Add a twist of lemon zest on top.When I'm particularly crushed by a hangover, crushed so small I feel like a little girl lost in an IKEA car park in a strange city as night falls, I use vanilla rooibos.You don't have to buy a flavoured rooibos. Some synthetic vanilla flavourings come from by-products of the wood-pulping industry and the natural ones might come from the anal glands of beavers. (Okay, the beaver bum juice is a rare one you're unlikely to stumble across, but it is a ‘natural' flavouring.) It's safer to just use vanilla pods.Fill a glass jar, (I use one with a wired, flip-top, rubber-sealed lid) full of rooibos. Take a vanilla pod and cut it open lengthways, as if opening the belly of a fish. Stick it in the jar so that it’s entirely submersed in the rooibos (cut the pod into pieces if you need to). Put the jar in a cupboard you use regularly and leave it for a couple of weeks, giving it a shake every time you see it. You can use a zip-lock bag instead, but I’ve found glass is better at holding the flavour over time. The good stuff has so much flavour, you want to keep it at its best. And the really good stuff is wild."

[H2]
What is rooibos tea?

Rooibos is a naturally caffeine-free herbal infusion made from the needle-like leaves of the Aspalathus linearis plant. Though it's commonly referred to as tea, it is not from the Camellia sinensis plant. Rooibos is a type of legume indigenous to South Africa's Cederberg mountains in the Cape of South Africa - it cannot be found anywhere else in the world. The word rooibos means "red bush" in Afrikaans, and rooibos tea is also known as 'red bush tea' or 'red tea'.

[H2]
Why choose Rare Tea Company rooibos tea?

Because Rooibos comes from a fragile ecosystem in a semi-arid desert; monocropping and industrial farming are having devastating effects on this UNESCO World Heritage area. Ours is harvested wild from ancient bushes. There is almost zero ecological impact from this carefully managed harvesting and the area is protected.Our Wild Harvest Rooibos also tastes so much richer - deep earthy, bright red berry and woody notes, with a subtle flavour of burnt caramel.

[H2]
Does rooibos have caffeine?

Rooibos does not have caffeine. Because rooibos is completely caffeine free, an infusion of rooibos is an ideal drink any time of the day, a great alternative to caffeinated tea or coffee.A strong brew is also delicious with milk - a great replacement for English Breakfast tea as a comforting bedtime drink or for a milky coffee in the morning, when you're feeling a bit too hyper but need a hot drink (rooibos also contains more antioxidants than coffee).Is rooibos good for you?

[H2]
What are the benefits of rooibos tea?

Rooibos has been enjoyed and used as a natural medicine for thousands of years by the indigenous people of South Africa. It is recommended there for children with upset stomachs or babies being weaned. Rooibos can be especially good for recovery from sickness, a hangover, or whenever we might need to rehydrate, whether winding down at night after a stressful day or after exercise.It is especially good for hydration through its balance of essential minerals, antioxidants, and electrolytes.Rooibos has high levels of flavonoids and contains the following minerals: calcium, iron, manganese, magnesium, sodium, potassium and zinc. It also has polyphenols, especially aspalathin, which is only found in Rooibos. The combination of these key vitamins and minerals means that rooibos consumption can help the body reabsorb water quickly- if you're really dehydrated, you need salt and sugar - the minerals in rooibos are not enough. Adding a flake of salt and a drop of something sweet like honey or maple syrup will help to increase the isotonic properties of rooibos. This also helps the natural caramel notes emerge, transforming the woody flavours to toffee.A number of peer-reviewed studies in scientific journals have examined the health effects of rooibos, such as its regulation of cholesterol levels and reduction of the risk of Type 2 diabetes, plus its impact on lowering blood sugar levels. However, many of these studies are not conducted on humans and are not conclusive. The connection between rooibos consumption and the reduced risk of heart disease, through potential improvement of cardiovascular function is most supported. Yet, it is important to note that many studies use concentrations of compounds within rooibos, not infusions of rooibos.

[H2]
How do you make rooibos tea?

To make a hot rooibos tea use 3g (0.2 oz) and boiling water. The ideal infusion time depends on the strength of flavour you enjoy - anything from 1-5 minutes. Because it contains almost no tannins or bitter elements, it can handle a long infusion without over infusing.Rooibos is delicious hot or cold - we recommend making a hot infusion and leaving it to cool before putting it in the fridge if you want to enjoy it cold. It will stay stable for a few days.While it cannot be considered a cure-all, Rooibos can support overall well being and tastes wonderful - which always makes you feel good.

[H2]
Shipping, delivery & more...

[H2]
UK Shipping Information

FREE UK Tracked Delivery when you spend £40 or more
FREE UK Express Delivery - Next Day* when you spend £50 or more
UK Tracked Delivery - Two Day Tracked £3.99
UK Express Delivery - Next Day* Tracked £4.49
UK Express Courier Delivery - Next Day* Courier from £6.99
*Subject to next day cutoff and postcode location. Availability of rates depends on location and order weight. For a complete overview of our shipping rates please see our delivery page.
All prices quoted in GBP and will be converted to your local currency if available.

[H2]
Returns

The Rare Tea Lady believes that our teas are some of the greatest in the world, and that our range and service are second to none.
In the isolated case that you are not completely satisfied with any product you purchase from our website, please get in contact with our customer services team to discuss returning your order.*
In most instances, we will give you a full refund of the item's cost, excluding postage. We may ask you to return the item to us.** Customers in the UK & European Union have statutory rights not affected by this guarantee, but any bags of tea must remained sealed for this to be in effect.
*We only accept returns/refunds for tea within 30 days of receipt, because it is impossible for us to know if the tea has been stored correctly.
**We will endeavour to ask for pictures where possible - but if you have changed your mind and are outside of any statutory rights time period, return postage is payable by you.

Trustpilot

Why Rare Tea?Find out the true cost behind tea, and how we aim to change the tea industry.
Why is Rare Tea Different?

The Perfect CupLet Henrietta guide you through the perfect way to make a cup of high quality loose leaf tea.
How To

Wholesale & TradeWould you like Rare Tea in your restaurant, hotel or bar? We offer a full service, worldwide.
Rare Tea Wholesale

1
/
of
3

Bringing the best tea, teaware, and more to the United Kingdom...

Choosing a selection results in a full page refresh.
Opens in a new window.

[H1]
Loose Leaf Black Tea

At Rare Tea Company our aim is to source and supply the very best black tea in the UK and, indeed, around the world. Read more...

[H2] List of 28 Rare Tea Company Loose Leaf Black Tea Products

[IMG: A tin of Rare Tea Company Rare Earl Grey on a white tablecloth with vintage teaware in the background.]

[IMG: Person pouring tea from a teapot into a tea cup, with a tin of Rare Tea Company Rare Earl Grey and an opened delivery box in the background.]

Rare Earl Grey Tea

[H3]
Rare Earl Grey Tea

Regular price
From £7.49

Regular price

£0.00

Sale price
From £7.49

£0.00
£0.21

per cup

81 reviews

[IMG: tin of Rare Tea Company Single Estate Lost Malawi English Breakfast loose leaf tea]

[IMG: pouring milk into a cup of Single Estate Lost Malawi English Breakfast tea]

Single Estate Lost Malawi English Breakfast

[H3]
Single Estate Lost Malawi English Breakfast

Regular price
From £7.49

Regular price

£0.00

Sale price
From £7.49

£0.00
£0.21

per cup

57 reviews

[IMG: tin of Rare Tea Company Speedy Breakfast Loose leaf tea]

[IMG: women drinking a mug of Speedy english breakfast tea with milk]

Speedy Breakfast

[H3]
Speedy Breakfast

Regular price
From £5.99

Regular price

£0.00

Sale price
From £5.99

£0.00
£0.30

per cup

44 reviews

[IMG: RAFA Tea for Heroes English Breakfast]

[IMG: image of 3 people drinking the RAF tea for heroes on while sitting on an RAF plane]

RAFA Tea for Heroes English Breakfast

[H3]
RAFA Tea for Heroes English Breakfast

Regular price
From £7.99

Regular price

£0.00

Sale price
From £7.99

£0.00
£0.20

per cup

61 reviews

[IMG: pouring a mug of Rare English Breakfast tea from a teapot]

[IMG: individual leaves of our Rare English Breakfast tea]

Rare English Breakfast

[H3]
Rare English Breakfast

Regular price
From £10.49

Regular price

Sale price
From £10.49

£0.00
£0.26

per cup

18 reviews

[IMG: a picnic bench of afternoon tea alongside a cup of our Rare Afternoon Tea in a mug]

[IMG: rolling hills of tea fields]

Rare Afternoon Tea

[H3]
Rare Afternoon Tea

Regular price
From £7.49

Regular price

£0.00

Sale price
From £7.49

£0.00
£0.19

per cup

20 reviews

[IMG: English Breakfast Iced Tea]

[IMG: English Breakfast Iced Tea]

English Breakfast Iced Tea

Sold out

[H3]
English Breakfast Iced Tea

Regular price
£5.99

Regular price

Sale price
£5.99

£0.00
£0.18

per cup

Sold out

[IMG: Black Iced Tea]

[IMG: Black Iced Tea]

Black Iced Tea

[H3]
Black Iced Tea

Regular price
From £3.99

Regular price

Sale price
From £3.99

£0.00
£0.15

per cup

5 reviews

[IMG: Broken Cloud Iced Tea]

[IMG: Broken Cloud Iced Tea]

Broken Cloud Iced Tea

[H3]
Broken Cloud Iced Tea

Regular price
£6.49

Regular price

£0.00

Sale price
£6.49

£0.00
£0.15

per cup

10 reviews

[IMG: pouring a teapot of our Chinese Emperor]

[IMG: individual leaves of our Chinese Emperor]

Chinese Emperor's Breakfast

[H3]
Chinese Emperor's Breakfast

Regular price
£12.49

Regular price

Sale price
£12.49

£0.00
£0.31

per cup

31 reviews

[IMG: freshly harvested tea leaves used for our Rare Chinese Keemun tea]

[IMG: individual leaves of our Rare Chinese Keemun tea after it has dried]

Rare Chinese Keemun

[H3]
Rare Chinese Keemun

Regular price
£8.99

Regular price

Sale price
£8.99

£0.00
£0.23

per cup

20 reviews

[IMG: pile of leaves of our Extremely Rare Chinese Emperor]

[IMG: bowl of leaves of our Extremely Rare Chinese Emperor]

Extremely Rare Chinese Emperor's Golden Eyebrow

[H3]
Extremely Rare Chinese Emperor's Golden Eyebrow

Regular price
£248.49

Regular price

Sale price
£248.49

£0.00
£2.49

per cup

2 reviews

[H2]
Try our most popular breakfast teas in our sublime English Breakfast Tea Gift Set!
English Breakfast Tea Gift Set

Since 2004 Henrietta Lovell, our founder and master blender has travelled the globe to find the finest loose leaf black tea that both tastes amazing and is sustainably grown, without pesticides and herbicides. In this way, we can ensure it is not only good for the environment but that our black tea is good for you too.
Many people think that black tea is just "normal tea". Our loose leaf black tea is made from only the best leaves, hand-picked and crafted by highly skilled men and women, for a sublime taste. Black tea is as diverse in terroir and flavour as red wine and we seek out only the best.

[H2]
Types of loose black tea

Our range of black tea includes single harvests from our partner farms alongside English Breakfast blends and smoked teas.We don't have any teas with added flavourings, natural or artificial. We prefer flavoured teas to be entirely natural and not created in a laboratory. We do add natural bergamot oil to our Earl Grey and herbs and spices to create Masala Chai.We source our black tea directly from farmers in India, China, Sri Lanka, Malawi, Nepal, Japan and New Zealand. You will find some of the most famous or well-known teas such as Darjeeling in our collection of loose black teas, but not others, such as Assam tea. This is because we only work with the best tea gardens - sourcing tea for quality and flavour rather than just to tick a box. We haven't managed to find the best quality organic tea that nurtures the precious habitat and the people who live and work on it as yet, but we're ever searching. If you usually buy Assam tea, perhaps try a delicious malty black tea from Satemwa like Lost Malawi English Breakfast tea which is made from the assamica varietal.The best way to explore our range of black teas is with our Black Tea Subscription Box - subscriptions are a great way to try different teas each month or make sure you get a regular delivery of your favourites, so you never run out! They also make great gifts.

[H2]
Black tea leaves

Black tea leaves are fully oxidized which increases the level of tannins, giving a higher astringency than other tea varieties. The primary flavonoids are theaflavins and thearubigins. All our black tea leaves are painstakingly crafted to be beautifully balanced. They can be enjoyed on their own without any additions. If you enjoy your tea with milk please choose from this collection.

[H2]
Can the flavour of loose black tea change over time?

Black tea can change in flavour over time, especially if it is not correctly stored. All loose leaf tea should be stored in an airtight container and away from direct sources of light. It is most important to keep your tea away from moisture. As soon as your black loose leaves are exposed to moisture they will begin to oxidise. Oxidisation will change the flavour and colour of the tea.We recommend drinking your loose leaf black tea within three months of opening the bag for the freshest tea. After this time the tea may start to lose some of its aroma but will still be plenty delicious. If you have an unopened bag of tea it could last indefinitely!Higher quality tea leaves (stored properly) can maintain their flavour for longer than low quality teas which may have been sitting around in a dusty warehouse for years.Just like wine, some teas can improve with age. Pu'er tea is traditionally a slow fermentation of a partly oxidised "dark" tea that can take decades to reach maturity. Some very old and valuable Puer teas date back hundreds of years - although it may be that these are worth more money because of their age than their flavour.

[H2]
Do you recommend these teas with milk and sugar?

Drinking tea with milk and/or sugar is very much up to personal preference. You should make your tea in the way that brings you the most pleasure.The infusion instructions on individual tea pages will note whether we think a tea is best drunk black or with milk. We usually recommend trying your loose leaf black tea without milk at first so that you can appreciate all the flavours and nuances of the leaf but feel free to add milk after if you prefer! If you usually like to add sugar to your tea we recommend trying Emperor's Breakfast (a Chinese black tea) because it is naturally very sweet so you might find there's no need for sugar!With some industrial big-brand tea bags you have to add milk to make them palatable, but that is not true of our exquisite loose leaf teas.If you like your tea with milk - whether full fat cow's milk or a dairy-free alternative - we have created a collection of teas that we think go well with milk here.

[H2]
Does black tea contain caffeine?

All black tea does contain caffeine unless it has undergone a decaffeination process. We don't offer decaf tea because the industrial processes use chemicals and strip some of the flavour from the tea. All tea (white tea, green tea, oolong) naturally contains caffeine because the plant that is made from, camellia sinensis, contains caffeine. If you would like to cut down on your caffeine intake we recommend our range of herbal infusions which are naturally caffeine-free.Please consider that cold-infused teas are particularly caffeinated because of the long extraction.

[H2]
How to brew black tea

If you would like to learn how to make the perfect cup of black tea, we recommend watching our short video here. Making the perfect cup of tea requires the correct ratios of tea and water, water at the right temperature, and the correct length of infusion. Each tea product page contains our suggestions for these volumes, temperatures and times but they are only a guide - how you like your tea is up to you so please feel free to experiment!Unless you're drinking a really strong Speedy Breakfast, which will give up everything in it's first extraction (in an utterly delicious way) do be sure to reuse your tea leaves though for a second (maybe even third) infusion. Each time you infuse the tea leaves, different subtleties and flavours will be released.If you are new to loose leaf tea, you may also want a teapot or tea infuser. You can explore our range of teaware for loose leaf tea here.

[H2]
Benefits of black tea

We are often asked, "what are the health benefits of drinking tea?". Although we are not doctors or scientists, we do know that tea is rich in polyphenols which are a type of antioxidant (which help the body remove free radicals that can result in inflammation and diseases) and some teas contain minerals including potassium, calcium and iron. To better understand what impact antioxidants and other components found in tea have on your body though, we would suggest speaking to someone with a better understanding of the science. The last thing we want to do is health-wash but there's a lot of great research out there by real scientists.The greatest benefit of tea is that it makes you feel good. Tea is a source of the amino acid L-theanine, which is linked to mood enhancement.And when it tastes AMAZING, it makes you feel even better!