Loose Leaf Tea - Shop Whole Leaf Tea Online

How to Choose Your Loose Leaf Tea

With more than 1,400 teas here, the quickest route is to narrow by three things: how strong you want the cup, how much caffeine you want in it, and how much you want to commit to.

Strength. If you drink coffee, start at the brisk end — a breakfast blend or an Assam will hold up to milk and won't taste thin. If you find most tea harsh, start light: a white tea or a first-flush Darjeeling gives a much gentler cup.

Caffeine. True tea always contains some. If you want none at all, the herbal side of the shop is the answer, and every tea there is naturally caffeine free. Decaf sits in between: most of the caffeine is removed, not all of it.

Size. Start small. A 2 oz pouch makes roughly 25 cups, which is enough to know whether a tea earns a place in your cupboard. Buy the tin once you're sure — it protects the leaf far better and works out cheaper per cup.

Shop Loose Leaf Tea by Type

Every type below has its own page with the full range in stock.

• Black — brisk and malty, the backbone of breakfast blends. See also Earl Grey and English Breakfast.
• Green — fresh and grassy, brewed cooler and shorter than black.
• Oolong — between the two, and the best value per gram because it re-steeps so well.
• White — delicate, lightly sweet, minimally processed.
• Pu-erh — aged and earthy, unlike anything else on the shelf.
• Herbal — no caffeine at all. Chamomile, rooibos, peppermint, hibiscus.
• Chai — spiced blends, from classic masala to gentler spicing.
• Matcha — stone-ground powder, whisked rather than steeped.
• Jasmine and flavored blends — leaf scented or blended with fruit, flowers and spice.
• Organic and caffeine free — filters that cut across every type above.

Not sure yet? A sampler puts several teas in front of you in small amounts, and gift sets do the same in a box worth handing over. For equipment, see teapots and infusers.

Sizes, Shipping and Freshness

Most teas here come in more than one size. A 1 oz sample is enough for a dozen cups, 2 oz suits a single drinker for a month, and 4 oz or a tin is the restock size. Buying the larger size lowers the price per cup, but only if you'll drink it while it's fresh.

Freshness is the reason to buy whole leaf in the first place, so it is worth protecting. Keep tea in an opaque, airtight tin, away from the stove and away from coffee and spices — leaf takes on whatever it sits beside. Don't refrigerate it; the condensation when you take it out does more harm than the warmth you avoided. Black teas keep well for a year or two, green teas are best inside six to twelve months.

Orders ship from the US. Shipping cost and delivery time are shown at checkout before you pay.

Brewing: The Short Version

Use 2 to 3 grams per 8 oz cup. Black and pu-erh want water just off the boil; green and white want it cooler, around 160–185°F, and boiling water is the usual reason a good green tastes bitter. Steep 3–5 minutes for black, 2–3 for green.

Give the leaf room — a basket infuser or a pot beats a cramped ball every time — and keep the leaves for a second cup. Most whole leaf has two or three infusions in it, which is what makes the price per cup lower than it looks.

Loose Leaf Tea FAQs

What size should I order first?

The smallest one available, usually 1 or 2 oz. It costs a few dollars, brews 12 to 25 cups, and tells you whether you want the tin. Most regret comes from committing to 8 oz of something untried.

How many cups do I get from an ounce?

Roughly 12 to 14 cups per ounce at 2 grams a cup, and more if you re-steep, which you should. A 4 oz bag is comfortably a month or two for a daily drinker.

How long does loose leaf tea keep?

Stored airtight and away from light, black and pu-erh hold quality for a year or two. Green and white are best within six to twelve months. Herbal blends sit in between. Tea doesn't spoil so much as fade.

Do you ship outside the US?

Shipping options and costs appear at checkout once you enter your address, so you can see the total before committing.

Loose leaf or tea bags — is it worth the trouble?

For flavor, yes: whole leaf has room to open and gives a rounder cup. For a rushed morning, a good tea bag is a fair trade. Plenty of people keep both, and there is no need to pick a side.

What if I don't like it?

Buy the sample size first — that is what it is for. Between the sampler sets and the small pouches, you can work through several styles for the price of one tin.

Which tea has the most caffeine?

Generally black and pu-erh, then oolong, then green and white. Brewing time and leaf quantity change it more than the type does. Herbal teas contain none.

Do you sell tea from other brands?

Yes — that's the point of this shop. We carry several dozen tea companies side by side rather than a single house line, so you can compare brands in one cart instead of ordering from five sites.